returns in
212
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Bloom calendar
Lynwood Gold
Hybrid border forsythia (deciduous shrub) · sport of ‘Spectabilis’; 1935; Northern Ireland
At‑a‑glance
- Group/Class: Hybrid border forsythia (deciduous shrub)
- Height × spread: 6-9 ft × 6-9 ft (1.8-2.7 m × 1.8-2.7 m)
- Bloom window: March to April
- Color & flower form: Bright yellow; single, 4‑lobed
- Fragrance: 0 none
- USDA hardiness: zones 5-8
- Breeder / Year / Origin: sport of ‘Spectabilis’; 1935; Northern Ireland
- Awards/registration: RHS Award of Garden Merit
- Cut‑flower notes: forces easily; vase life about 5-7 days when kept cool
- Pet safety: safe (ASPCA: non‑toxic to cats and dogs)
How it differs
- Heavier bloom and larger flowers than typical border forsythia.
- Upright‑arching habit for hedges and screens.
- Buds may be lost below about −5 °F (−21 °C).
- Recorded by RHS as ‘Lynwood Variety’ (sold as ‘Lynwood Gold’).
Strengths
- Reliable early color.
- Tolerates clay and urban sites.
- Deer usually avoid it.
Care in one minute
Full sun gives best bloom; part shade reduces flowers.
Average, well‑drained soil; near‑neutral to slightly acidic pH.
Water weekly first season; water only in prolonged droughts after.
Feed lightly with compost in spring if growth is weak.
Renewal‑prune after bloom; avoid pruning after mid‑July.
Watch‑outs
- Prune right after bloom or you remove next year’s flowers.
- Large mature width needs space.
Best uses (tags)
Provenance note
Discovered as a branch sport of ‘Spectabilis’ in 1935 at Lynwood garden, Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland; widely marketed as ‘Lynwood Gold’.
References
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Forsythia × intermedia ‘Lynwood Variety’.
- Royal Horticultural Society. Forsythia × intermedia ‘Lynwood Variety’.
- University of Illinois Extension. Start spring early by forcing branches indoors.
- ASPCA. Golden Bells (Forsythia) – Non‑toxic.
