Spring Fling Forsythia Isn’t Too Big or Too Small
We love the size of this forsythia.
Forsythia shrubs are beloved for their explosion of brilliant yellow flowers at the start of spring. The new forsythia cultivar Spring Fling blooms just as expected, but the shrub remains an ideal size. Its 5-foot stature means its unlikely to demand pruning, which usually ruins forsythia's naturally graceful shape.
Spring Fling forsythia matures to a moderate 5 to 6 feet tall and wide, making it an ideal low-maintenance spring-flowering shrub. This forsythia will fit well at the back of a perennial border, among other woody shrubs, at the corner of a foundation planting or for use as a deciduous flowering hedge. Sited right, Spring Fling forsythia will not grow to overtake its space, but it's also large enough to make a strong impression even if it blooms before you've cleaned up the garden in early spring.
Common name: First Editions Spring Fling forsythia
Botanical name: Forsythia 'UMNFOR01'
Exposure: Full sun
Flowers: Golden yellow flowers line the stems all the way to the tip in early spring. Spring Fling forsythia is a reliable bloomer that also holds its flowers longer than comparable cultivars. Cut stems last well in a vase.
Foliage: Leaves emerge after the forsythia blooms. They are medium green throughout summer and though deciduous, they hold on well into fall. Forsythia is not grown for autumn color.
Habit: Spring Fling forsythia grows five to six feet tall and wide with arching stems that create a rounded shape. Deciduous.
Related: Browse all of our shrub profiles.
Origin: Forsythia species are mostly native to Asia. Spring Fling is a hybrid introduced to the gardening market in 2023 from Bailey Nurseries as an addition to its First Editions line of shrubs and trees.
Related: Read about growing white forsythia, a fragrant shrub not at all related to the yellow forsythias.
How to grow it: Site Spring Fling forsythia in full sun. It is not picky about soil type. Its naturally compact growth and moderate mature size means it will not need pruning. Provide even watering until the shrub is established in the garden. USDA Zones 5–8.
Image courtesy of Bailey Nurseries
