Weeping forsythia is a flowering, deciduous, perennial shrub native to to China and East Asia and, in its native habitat, often found wild in thickets and grassy slopes. It is a member of the olive family (Oleaceae). The species name references the plant's hanging or weeping form. It produces beautiful yellow flowers in early spring on long, arching, naked stems; however, the weeping forsythia blooms are not as vivid as other forsythia species. In the case of weeping forsythia, the arching stems root where they touch the ground and thereby form a spreading colony. Weeping forsythia is drought tolerant. Weeping forsythia is easy to grow and does best in loose, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to shade, but it is a forgiving plant and tolerates average to poor garden soils, urban conditions, and drought. The shrub is winter hardy. The plant can also be trained to grow as a vine. As flowers appear on last year's wood, pruning should be undertaken immediately after spring flowering; later pruning will likely remove flower buds for the following spring. To rejuvenate an older plant, you can cut it back almost ground level. Weeping forsythia would be a handsome addition to an Asian, children’s, winter or cottage garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. More information on Forsythia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Erect; Multi-stemmed; Spreading; Weeping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Opposite, serrate, simple, dark green leaves that grow to 4 inches long.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Trumpet; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Golden yellow flowers in early spring; not as vivid a display as other forsythias. Flowers are deeply four-lobed with petals joined only at the base. These become pendent in rainy weather shielding the reproductive parts.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Two celled capsule with many winged seeds.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Brown
Bark detail
Rough, grey brown bark.
Stem detail
Pith is absent from the stems (stems are hollow). Nodes are solid.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, East Asia
Distribution
Introduced into parts of Spain and central Europe, various temperate United States.
Play value
Attractive Flowers
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Recreational Play Area
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Children's Garden; Cottage Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Barrier; Hedge; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#deciduous #children's garden #cozy #winter flowers #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #playground plant #perennial #pruning tolerant #deciduous shrub #yellow flowers #shrub #flowering shrub