Forsythia intermedia Variegata

Forsythia x intermedia Variegata is a beautiful variegated leaf form of the Paris Mimosa. This bush has golden yellow flowers that announce the arrival of spring in a dazzling way, along with green, yellow and cream mixed foliage that remains decorative until early autumn. A robust plant with fairly rapid growth and low demands, it forms a large, bright shrub works well in a flowering hedge. Wonderful in the garden, its blooms will also be very pretty in vases in winter or spring bouquets.

Forsythia x intermedia Variegata is a deciduous bush belonging to the Oleaceae family. It descends from a spontaneous hybrid resulting from two species native to China, the Forsythia suspensa and the F. viridissima. It will reach about 2m (6 ft 7 in) in height with a 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) spread, showing an open, slightly spreading habit. Like other forsythias, it provides a true spring spectacle in March-April, before the appearance of its foliage. One-year-old and older branches are adorned with numerous golden yellow flowers in clusters. Each flower has 4 petals and stamens of a warm and bright yellow around a small red throat. Flowering is followed by the emergence of foliage. The leaves of this variety are randomly variegated with shades of green, light yellow, and cream from spring to the end of summer, before turning more or less yellow, orange, and purple in autumn. They are long, pointed leaves measuring 8 to 10cm (3.1 to 3.9 in) in length, with dentate edges.

This Variegated Forsythia is perfectly hardy, undemanding, and very easy to maintain. It grows in any type of sufficiently deep soil and in most climates. This particularly ornamental variety finds its place in gardens of all sizes. It can be planted in a large shrub bed or in a flowering hedge, alongside Japanese quinces, variegated Japanese corête, Cotinus (Cotinus coggygria Lilla), as well as with mahonias, lilacs, mock oranges, purple barberries, and many others. In early December, cut a branch or two and put them in a vase, they will bloom for Christmas.