Northern Gold Forsythia

Northern Gold is a named Forsythia shrub selected for dependable early yellow flowers and cold-hardy flower buds. Bred in Ottawa by Felicitas Svejda in 1979, it has an upright form and is a useful choice where spring bloom is desired in a cold-winter garden. ## Size and siting Allow about 6–8 feet of height and 5–7 feet of width. [Fedco](https://fedcoseeds.com/trees/northern-gold-forsythia-7602) lists the selection as hardy to USDA zone 3 and recommends full sun with moderately fertile, slightly acidic to neutral, well-drained soil. [Coaldale Nurseries](https://www.coaldalenurseries.ca/?page_id=616&singleproduct=1318) also describes its yellow spring flowers and a compact, upright habit. Check available space before planting, since established shrubs can occupy several feet in both directions. ## Seasonal display Golden-yellow flowers open on the branches before the leaves emerge. The buds are noted for cold hardiness, which helps the plant flower more reliably after winter than less hardy selections. Leave room for the shrub’s mature width when siting it along a border or in a mixed shrub planting. Its early color pairs naturally with later-flowering shrubs and spring bulbs. ## Maintenance Forsythia flowers form on the previous year’s growth, so prune just after flowering. Dormant pruning removes many of the next spring’s buds. In late winter, a few branches can be cut and brought indoors to force an early display.