Golden Bells, Weeping Forsythia
Forsythia suspensa

Family: Oleaceae

What it is like

A lax shrub. It can grow to 3 m tall when trained on a wall. It loses its leaves during the year. The branches are slender and arching. They are yellow-brown. The internodes are hollow. The leaves are simple but can also have 3 divisions. The leaf stalk is 0.8-1.5 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 2-10 cm long by 1.5-5 cm wide. There are teeth along the edge. There are one or sometimes 2 or more flowers in the axils of leaves. The flowers are golden. They have narrow petals. The flowers hang downwards. The fruit is a capsule which is oval and 1.2-2.5 cm long by 6-7 mm wide. The stalk is 0.7-1.5 cm long.

It is used in medicine. There are about 7-11 Forsythia species. There are also hybrids between species. The leaf contains a glucoside, phyllyrin.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in thickets or grassy areas on slopes between 300-2200 m altitude in China. It can grow in sun or part shade. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Britain, China (country/location of origin), Europe, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Tasmania

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten with oil and salt.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed. The seed need 60 days of cold treatment. It can also be grown by greenwood cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Lian Qiao

Synonyms

Ligustrum suspensum Thunb.; Forsythia fortunei Lindley; Forsythia suspensa var. fortunei (Lindley)Rehder; Forsythia suspensa var. latifolia Rehder; Forsythia suspensa f. pubescens Rehder; Forsythia suspensa var. sieboldii Zabel; Rangium suspensum (Thunb.)Ohwi; Syringa suspensa (Thunb.)Thunb. ex Murray;