Photo: Seha bs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Plant Facts
Quick Answer
Forsythia pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as shrub, associated with spring bloom timing, USDA zone 5 - 8, and pollen and nectar forage value.
Pollen Color Notes
The visual color shown for Forsythia is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.
Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.
Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context
Forsythia is listed for spring. The record lists USDA zone 5 - 8; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: March, April.
Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as low and nectar value marked as low. Early flowers may provide limited pollen and nectar, but forage value varies among cultivars and is generally modest.
Identification Notes
A deciduous shrub with opposite leaves and bright four-lobed yellow flowers opening densely on bare stems; garden plants are commonly hybrid cultivars.
Flower color note: Bright yellow. Flower color and pollen color may differ.
Related by Similar Color
Related by Season
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Sources
North Carolina State University Extension / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant identification, flower description, landscape and growing context Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Missouri Botanical Garden / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant identification, flowering context, garden plant descriptions Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Foundation contributors / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant image, image credit link