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Show Off® Forsythia x intermedia

Flower Season
  • Spring
  • Summer
Mature Size
6' 6' 1.8m 1.8m
Height: 5' - 6'
Spread: 5' - 6'
Height: 1.5m - 1.8m
Spread: 1.5m - 1.8m
  • Details

    60 - 72 Inches
    60 - 72 Inches
    60 - 72 Inches
    1.5m - 1.8m
    1.5m - 1.8m
    1.5m - 1.8m

    Features

    Bright yellow early spring flowers. Improved flower display compared to older varieties. Compact. Deer resistant. Good for cut displays.

    Heat Tolerant
    Resists: 
    Deer

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Shrub
    Shrub Type: 
    Deciduous
    Height Category: 
    Tall
    Garden Height: 
    60 - 72 Inches 1.5m - 1.8m
    Spacing: 
    60 - 72 Inches 1.5m - 1.8m
    Spread: 
    60 - 72 Inches 1.5m - 1.8m
    Flower Colors: 
    Yellow
    Flower Shade: 
    Yellow
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Dark Green
    Habit: 
    Upright
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Part Sun to Sun
    Light Requirement: 
    Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Easy
    Bloom Time: 
    Early Spring
    Hardiness Zones: 
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Uses: 
    Cut Flower
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses Notes: 

    An excellent specimen plant for mixed borders and foundations.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Prefers a good loose soil, but will do well in any soil. pH adaptable and withstands city conditions and is air pollution tolerant. Pruning is best done immediately after flowering. Old stems can be removed or can be cut back to the ground. Shaping should be done at this time. Prefers medium moisture. Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees and shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application.

    Learn more: Forsythia Growing Guide

    This little beauty will be a blast of early spring color from the ground up! 

    Show Off is not your typical forsythia! It is compact and full of blooms from the ground to the end of every stem. Older varieties can become out of control and often become victims of bad pruning; this little beauty will stay small so there is no need to prune. Now you can have a nice tight, compact forsythia hedge without doing any work! A real improvement over older varieties, Show Off is a very showy choice for the early spring garden.

    Show Off® Forsythia x intermedia 'Mindor' USPP 19,321
  • 11 Reviews

    5
    4
    4
    2
    3
    2
    2
    2
    1
    1
    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • I planted a bush this early spring as soon as they came out in the garden centers. It was loaded with blooms but the size was a little small. It didn’t bloom for long after I got it in the ground, I’m guessing because of transplant shock since we have heavy clay soil. It has put in a lot of growth though, I would say the shortest branch has grown at least 6 inches and the longer ones are closer to 10 inches. I have been pretty pleased so far. I have it 4 stars only because of the blooms not lasting as long as I had hoped but realize that it is likely because of me and my ground and not the fault of PW and their plant itself. I will update if something happens to it over the winter.

      David Simmons
      , Missouri
      , United States
      , 30 weeks ago
    • I’ve planted 3 of these, two years ago. First spring after planting- no blooms. This spring, only blooms were on a few branches at the bottom of the plants. (Which I assume were insulated by snow). It says they are hardy to zone 5. My area was recently moved to zone 6a- these can’t take the polar vortex we get each winter in the Midwest. I would recommend getting a variety that is hardier to anyone growing in zone 5/6 Midwest. Outside of not blooming- the plants have grown vigorously. They are already 5ft tall going into their 3rd growing season.

      D
      , 34 weeks ago
    • I bought four plants 3 years ago. Bloomed nicely every year. 1 plant mysteriously died in the middle of Summer last year. Dug the corpse out and moved on. This year, a few weeks ago, (End of June) two of the plants have started flopping, losing the upright habit, but appear healthy otherwise! We'll see about next year.

      Loch Le Monde
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 1 year ago
    • Nothing says "spring" like the cheerful yellow blooms of forsythia. I live in Virginia (zone 7A) and forsythia thrive in this climate. Just about every yard has a forsythia (usually neglected and overgrown). I planted this Showoff forsythia 18 months ago. It has gone through 2 bloom cycles and it is now about 7 feet tall, very upright, and not sprawling. It's very tough - I stepped on the shrub and broke off a main branch, but it bounced right back. I pruned off a few horizontal branches to keep the shape tidy. I am so happy with this shrub - it blooms reliably and the habit is extremely upright, which is exactly what I wanted along my fence. The bright yellow blooms go all the way down to the ground, unlike older varieties. I will be buying 7 more to create a low-maintenance tall hedge along my fence. I've grown Lynwood Gold forsythia, but it is huge and gets out of control. I think Showoff forsythia is a much better variety. Forsythia aren't fussy and aren't bothered by deer or Japanese beetles, which is a huge plus. I recommend Showoff forsythia.

      Sandra
      , Virginia
      , United States
      , 4 years ago
    • Planted about 5 year ago. Very disappointing Never blooms very well Just a few blooms toward the bottom I guess it can't take the cold temps below 20 F Might try burlap wrapping this year

      Kent Gaya
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 5 years ago
    • Just planted it and it is a beauty.

      Vicki MarkAnthony
      , Connecticut
      , United States
      , 10 years ago
    • Russell Studebaker
      , Pennsylvania
      , United States
      , 13 years ago
    • Awesome color

      D Krantz
      , Illinois
      , United States
      , 13 years ago
    • Russell Studebaker
      , Missouri
      , United States
      , 13 years ago
  • 1 More color

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