I planted one 'Meadowlark' Forsythia on the grounds of Hinsdale Hospital on a hill around 1990. It did well for about 12 years until the hospital completely changed the landscape by removing the white house and completely changing the topography with totally new landscaping. This cultivar was selected by the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, MA from a hybrid between the Korean or Early Forsythia (F. ovata) x the Albanian or European Forsythia (F. europaea) and introduced into the nursery trade by North and South Dakota Universities. It is noted as having more hardy flower buds than the extremely common and over-planted Border Forsythia cultivars, as 'Lynwood Gold.' The big problem with Border Forsythia cultivars is that the flower buds are cold hardy only to -15 degrees F. 'Meadowlark' and other cultivars from either the Korean or the Manchurian or the European Forsythia species have flower buds hardy from -20 to - 35 degrees F. I noticed that 'Meadowlark's' leaves were not shiny and that the stems were more rounded and tan in color rather than sort of squarish and greenish or yellowish stems of Border Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia). I thought it had a better habit also than the more unkempt, hanging over Border Forsythia. 'Meadowlark' became a commonly sold shrub in the Chicago, IL, area and still is.
I am not passionate for any Forsythia species as they are noted only for their flowers, and the rest of the plant is not so noteworthy.

Reply to this comment