Overview
Uses: Small gardens, front of the border, outdoor containers, and low foundation plantings.
Benefits: A miniature forsythia that stays about 1½–2½ feet tall, small enough for containers and tight spaces. In early spring the stems are packed with golden yellow flowers from top to bottom, one of the first shrubs to bloom. Deer resistant.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
Sun: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Upright, Rounded — miniature and compact.
Bloom Color: Yellow
Foliage Color: Green
Mature Height: 1½–2½ feet
Mature Width: 1½–2½ feet
Bloom Season: Spring
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
All the early gold of forsythia, on a plant small enough for a patio pot.
Standard forsythia is a big, fountain-shaped shrub that needs room and regular cutting back. Show Off® Sugar Baby® keeps the part everyone wants, the burst of yellow at winter’s end, and shrinks the rest to a compact mound about one and a half to two and a half feet tall and wide.
In early spring, before the leaves appear, golden yellow flowers line the stems from top to bottom so densely that the plant looks solid yellow. It is one of the first shrubs in the garden to bloom, often while the rest of the yard is still brown.
After flowering it settles into a neat, rounded shape of green leaves that holds through summer. That small, tidy form lets it work in places forsythia never could: a front-of-border pocket, a low foundation bed, or a container by the door. Deer rarely browse it.
Care
Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia Care
Plant in full sun to partial shade. At least six hours of sun gives the heaviest bloom; in more shade it still flowers, but less densely.
Forsythia grows in most well-drained soils, from sandy to clay, and is not fussy about pH. Avoid spots where water pools after rain.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season while roots establish. Established plants tolerate short dry spells, but water during extended droughts to keep next spring’s flower buds plump.
Feeding needs are light. One application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring, after bloom, is plenty.
Forsythia blooms on the previous year’s growth, so do any pruning right after flowering. Because this selection stays small, most years it needs no pruning at all beyond removing a dead or damaged stem.
Growing in Containers
Its miniature size makes it one of the few forsythias suited to a container. Use a pot with open drainage holes and a quality potting mix. Container plants dry out faster than plants in the ground, so check moisture often in warm weather, and feed lightly each spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients from the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia for Sale Online?
Our Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia Grow?
Expect about 1½ to 2½ feet tall and 1½ to 2½ feet wide at maturity, in a compact, rounded shape. Space plants about 2 feet apart for a low edging or mass planting.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia?
The botanical name is Forsythia × intermedia Show Off® Sugar Baby® ‘Nimbus’. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is a border forsythia, and forsythia in general is also known as golden bells.
How small is it compared with regular forsythia?
Classic border forsythia commonly reaches eight feet or more and spreads just as wide. Sugar Baby® stays around two feet, a fraction of that size, with the same early yellow flowers. It fits spaces where a full-size forsythia would have to be cut back hard every year. For more compact flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
Do deer eat forsythia?
Deer rarely browse forsythia, so it is a good choice for front-yard beds and containers that are not fenced. Browse more Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
