My Forsythia 'Lynwood gold ' is over 20 and two years ago came down with crown gall. Lynwood was too big for her britches and I resorted to pruning her back to maintain her shape in my small urban garden. It was just that pruning I think that caused her to get the crown gall, a bacteria or fungus. If you regularly prune shrubs to keep their size its a good idea to sterilize your pruners with regular household bleach to prevent the introduction of bacteria and fungus.
I tried to prune out the diseased parts of the Forsythia but it didn't help so now I'll have to resort to removal. The soil in the area will have to be treated but I don't plan to use any harsh chemicals. I've read that planting a ground cover in the area will eradicate it, but it will probably take several years.
The warm, cheeerful bright yellow flowers of Forsythia always bring with it the promise of Spring and a new season and perks up our winter-weary spirit . Naturally I can't be without one.
Browsing through the Plant Hunter Tim Wood's slideshow of the plants he'd discovered I came across this amazing Forsythia viridissima 'kumsun' which he found in Korea. It's variegated leaf is amazing and will provide color throughout the season. It also turns a burgundy in the Fall. So with its beautiful Spring bloom and colorful foliage it will provide a long season of interest but the thing that really attracted me as well was its size : At 4-6 feet its ideal for my small space and I probably won't need to prune it so much.
Forsythia viridissima 'kumsun'
Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago
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Oh, I LIKE it, Carolyn! Lovely foliage. Isn't it great how when one plant has to leave us, there's always something wonderful that can take its place?
ReplyDeleteSorry about the demise of your Lynwood gold, but oooh, Carolyn, that foliage on 'kumson' is beautiful! After reading this post I looked it up, and found that it can be happy even in part shade - now that's my kind of shrub!
ReplyDeleteA rose aficionado I know claims Lysol, though more expensive than bleach, works as well on bacteria and is more effective against fungal spores than bleach. I've read that Lysol and Listerine work well for disinfecting without bleaching clothes or pitting metal tools the way bleach does.
Sure is, Jodi.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda, for the tip on using Lysol or Listerine, which I usually have in stock.
Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI was first drawn to Kumson because of it's foliage too. I saw it in a local nursey one fall and in addition to the lovely leaves it also had a few yellow flowers; the effect was stunning.
I planted it in a part shade area of my garden (zone 6) and the leaf variegation was not as intense as I would have liked. I will be moving it this spring to a sunnier location and hoping for more variegation. Even though it's not quite the star I had hoped for, I do love it and am sure you will too.
Hi Debbbie and welcome! Thanks for the tips on 'Kumson. ' I'll be sure to give it enough sun so that it'll look like the photo above.
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