Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Showy Border Forsythia bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Showy Forsythia, Border Forsythia, Golden Bells (Forsythia × intermedia 'Spectabilis').

More about showy border forsythia

About Showy Border Forsythia

Forsythia × intermedia 'Spectabilis' · also called Showy Forsythia, Border Forsythia · flowering

One of the most floriferous forsythia cultivars, 'Spectabilis' explodes into a mass of large golden-yellow flowers on bare stems in early spring, signalling the season's arrival. A vigorous deciduous shrub used widely in parks and gardens. Not toxic to pets; considered safe.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower: The most common cause is pruning at the wrong time — forsythia flowers on previous-year wood, so autumn or winter pruning removes the flower buds. Prune only immediately after flowering (April-May in the UK).

The reasons showy border forsythia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming showy border forsythia traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding showy border forsythia a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get showy border forsythia to flower

Maximise sun. Give showy border forsythia the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for showy border forsythia and get the feeding right with the showy border forsythia fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Showy Border Forsythia flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full showy border forsythia care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Showy Border Forsythia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my showy border forsythia flower?

Showy Border Forsythia blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make showy border forsythia bloom?

Give showy border forsythia the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does showy border forsythia normally bloom?