Forsythia Happy Centennial
A great harbinger of spring, Forsythia ‘Happy Centennial’ is a compact, spreading, deciduous shrub with a profusion of bright-yellow, four-petaled flowers which appear before the leaves in early to mid-spring. The foliage of leathery, ovate, dark green leaves remains attractive throughout the growing season.
A great harbinger of spring, Forsythia 'Happy Centennial' is a compact, spreading, deciduous shrub with a profusion of bright-yellow, four-petaled flowers which appear before the leaves in early to mid-spring. The foliage of leathery, ovate, dark green leaves remains attractive throughout the growing season. Developed in Canada at the Ottawa Experiment Station, this Forsythia cultivar is recognized for its extreme flower bud hardiness (to approximately -30°F or -34°C). It will bloom heavily after even severe winters when many other Forsythia cultivars would not. Its low and horizontal branching makes it a very graceful shrub. Ideal for small gardens.
- Grows up to 24-30 in. tall (60-75 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm).
- A full sun or part shade lover, this plant is best grown in medium moisture, well-drained soils. Best flower production is obtained in full sun. Tolerates average to poor garden soils. Some drought tolerance.
- Perfect as a specimen plant, for foundations or hedges, in mixed borders, on banks or slopes. Great for city gardens, or cottage gardens.
- Low maintenance, this plant is deer resistant and fairly trouble-free. Some susceptibility to leaf spot and crown gall.
- Prune immediately after spring flowering.
- Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings
- Native to Europe and Eastern Asia.
Requirements
| Hardiness | 5 – 9 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones | 5 – 9 |
| Climate Zones | 1A, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, A2, A3 |
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Forsythia |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid) |
| Height | 2' – 3' (60cm – 90cm) |
| Spread | 3' – 5' (90cm – 150cm) |
| Spacing | 60″ (150cm) |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Showy |
| Tolerance | Clay Soil, Deer, Drought |
| Garden Uses | Banks and Slopes, Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Small Gardens |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden |