Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Which Switch is Which?


Early spring is upon us! It seems we have been chomping at the bit for a few weeks now, but with daylight savings time taking place Sunday...we can taste the warmer days. I have been so excited in anticipation of spring that I made a bit of an identification blunder. Yet, my lesson was re-learned and I thought this an opportune moment to share.  

There are 2 types of bright yellow blooms that grace us with their presence this time of year....Forsythia and Winter Jasmine. Both grow of soft, switch like stems. While Forsythia is a sure sign that spring is on the way, Winter Jasmine is a late winter bloomer and really gave me the slip in my premature spring fever. 

Here's how to tell the difference between the two...  


Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

Winter Jasmine is the first to bloom in "normal" winter season...aka when it stays cold, as it has this year. I don't see this plant often in Greenwood, so the yellow bloom on a walk one morning tricked me into thinking it was a yellow Forsythia bloom foreshadowing spring. A native to China, Winter Jasmine can reach 4' in height by 7' in width if left unsupported. It grows in a tangle of green (first year) stems and does well as a bank cover or billowing over a wall or slope. Winter Jasmine has a 3 leafleted leaf that appears after the bloom. It is a fast grower, tolerant of sun and shade, but blooms best in the sun. Use it for erosion control as it roots where the stems touch the soil. Winter Jasmine blooms a few blossoms at a time over the course of 6-8 weeks. 


 the tangle of green stems with a few open blooms

typical growth habit of Winter Jasmine 
(ignore the leaves and Natty Light can...this photo was taken in the Delta) 




Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)

The literal golden child of the spring landscape, Forsythia has been growing in Southern gardens for so long that people assume it is a native. Forsythia begins blooming in late February and will be seen blooming through April. Warmer winter temps can force it bloom sooner in some circumstances. Instead of growing in a somewhat tangle, Forsythia has graceful arching, light tannish brown branches that can reach 7-10' high. Unlike Winter Jasmine, Forsythia goes all in on the blooms, blooming all at once. This is what makes the display so magnificent in the spring. 


My favorite use of Forsythia is seen across the park from my house where my neighbor uses it as part of a shrub border to divide the yard from the street. The row of Forsythia lines the front of an evergreen holly hedge. The dark green of the hedge offsets the bright yellow glow of Forsythia and makes for quite a show...on both sides... 

Forsythia hedge seen from the front yard 
with an evergreen holly border behind

Forsythia hedge seen from the road, peeping out behind the holly

Forsythia is one of those plants that needs it's space to be allowed to showcase its natural growth habit. Part of the beauty of this plant is the graceful, arching branches that soften any landscape bed. Even when it's not blooming, the soft green leaves on the arching branches add impact to the landscape. That's why it takes my breath away to see it shaped like a boxwood.... 


There are several selections of Forsythia available in the trade, in all heights, growth habits and even leaf variegation. Make sure to select the right variety for your landscape so that you don't have to force it into a mold with pruning.

Both Forsythia and Winter Jasmine are great plants for any Southern landscape. They are easy to grow, tolerant of most conditions and provide a beautiful show during a time when there is not much to see in the landscape. Forsythia is a sure sign that spring is right around the corner, but Winter Jasmine offers a glow during the winter months when we need a light in the landscape. Despite their awesome yellow color, neither flower is fragrant. Both plant blooms on old wood, so wait until after it blooms to prune. And by prune, get in there and cut individual branches to preserve the shape...and please don't shear it into a box or ball... 

Enjoy the golden displays of both plants this time of year, plant either in your yard now for enjoyment next year but whatever you do, don't automatically assume that one yellow bloom means Spring is here... know which switch is which.