Forsythia: what is this plant and how to choose the variety that bees like best

Spring is when forsythias bloom. For many hobby gardeners, the forsythia, also known as the golden lilac or golden bell, is the epitome of spring.

Depending on the weather, the robust shrub blooms from mid-March and, with its many golden yellow flowers, it is an eye-catcher in gardens and parks and puts you in a good mood.

Forsythia, worthless to bees and other insects

However, from an ecological point of view, the variety of forsythia that is most common in gardens (Forsythia × intermedia) is not a good choice because it does not provide nectar or pollen to bees. The bright yellow flowers magically attract insects, but they swarm over them to no avail. The forsythia also does not produce any fruit.

What is the variety of forsythia that produces nectar?

The exception is the variety Forsythia × intermedia’Beatrix Farrand’ who is friendly with bees. If you want to plant a forsythia in your garden or on your balcony, It is the best alternative to other species of forsythia that are useless to insects.

If you already have a forsythia in the garden or on the balcony, it can of course stay there. After all, forsythia has not only disadvantages. It is a robust, resistant and extremely easy to care for plant.

Forsythia bushes grow from two to three meters in height and are therefore they make a good privacy screen. In addition, the pretty bushes are an eye-catcher and ensure sunny spring weather with their yellow flowers.

But it’s important that you plant other early flowering plants to provide food for bees and company, who are increasingly suffering from biodiversity scarcity and human encroachment. We recommend the following plants, which also they flower early in the year and are often used by insects as fodder plants:

Scylla Snowball Dogwood Crocus Daffodil Grape Hyacinth Willow Winter Aconite

Other bee-friendly plants and trees are hibiscus, guillomo, privet, sloe and wild apple. However, they bloom a little later. If you have a forsythia in your garden, it’s important to prune it regularly.

when the forsythia blooms, time to prune and sow

The forsythia too it is considered an indicator plant in the phenological calendar. That means that if the ornamental shrub usually blooms from mid-March, a new period begins in the garden.

Experts currently recommend pruning roses and berry bushes. It is also the time to sow directly outdoors lettuce, carrots, chard, beans or peas.

Prune the forsythia after flowering

You can cut off old and wilted forsythia shoots every two to three years. With this thinning cut, you ensure that more light reaches the densely branched interior of the bush and that the internal branches do not wither.

Besides, when cutting, it is possible for the forsythia to develop new flowers. When cutting, pay special attention to the native birds that nest in the forsythia and try to disturb them as little as possible.

After the flowering period in the third year, you can cut the forsythia for the first time. It is done as follows:

Remove wilted flower buds to thin the crown.Reduces older, discolored shoots by about a third. Place the pruning shears at a slight angle over a strong bud.Every three years, you can thin out old shoots by cutting them back close to the ground.Cut off any buds It grows inside the bush at the base.

Be sure to use the proper tool when cutting your forsythia. Regular garden shears are good for thinner branches, while pruning shears are needed for removing thicker branches.

Sanitize all your pruning shears before cutting any part of the plant to avoid infections in the cutting areas and do not use dull blades.