Forsythia 'Arnold Dwarf'

RHS Plant Profile

forsythia 'Arnold Dwarf'

Shrubs

A spreading, deciduous shrub, suitable as a ground cover, reaching 0.6-1m high and 1.8-2.1m wide, bearing a limited display of yellow green flowers of little merit, before the leaves appear in early to mid-spring

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Oleaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Forsythia are deciduous shrubs with simple, occasionally lobed, leaves and short tubular yellow flowers with 4 spreading lobes, borne profusely before the leaves in spring
Name Status: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Ground cover

Pruning

Pruning group 2

Pests

May be susceptible to birds eating the flower buds

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus and forsythia gall