Forsythia europaea, commonly known as Albanian forsythia or European forsythia,^[2][3] is a species of flowering plant in the olive family, with a native range from Montenegro to northern Albania.^[4] It is the only species of Forsythia native to Europe;^[2] prior to its discovery in Albania in 1897, it was thought that all Forsythia were native to East Asia.^[5]

Quick Facts Forsythia europaea, Conservation status ...

Forsythia europaea
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Oleaceae
Genus:	Forsythia
Species:	F. europaea
Binomial name
Forsythia europaea Degen & Bald.

Close

F. europaea is a shrub,^[6] and can grow up to 10 ft (3 m) tall.^[7] Its leaves are 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) in length, and are generally entire (smooth edged).^[8] It produces numerous yellow flowers,^[5] which are 1.25 in (3.2 cm) in diameter.^[7]

This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (September 2021) This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2021)

The closest relative of F. europaea is F. giraldiana, a species of Forsythia native to China.^[9]

F. europaea was first cultivated in 1899, at Kew Gardens in London, United Kingdom.^[7] It is not as widely cultivated as other species of Forsythia as it is not as ornamental,^[6] although it is still occasionally grown in parks and gardens.^[6][10]

Cultivars produced by hybridisation of F. europaea with F. ovata, a more ornamental species of Forsythia native to Korea,^[11] include:

• Forsythia 'Meadowlark', which was developed at North Dakota State University.^[12] It produces deep-yellow flowers from its third year onwards,^[13] the buds of which are hardy to −35 °F (−37 °C).^[14] Its leaves are ivy-green.^[13]
• Forsythia 'Northern Sun', which was developed at the University of Minnesota.^[12] It grows 10 ft (3 m) tall and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide.^[15] Plants produce large, gold-coloured flowers,^[15] the buds of which are hardy to −30 °F (−34 °C).^[14]