By Cindy Haynes Extension horticulturist Iowa State University Extension Gardeners can select from several wonderful spring flowering shrubs. These plants light up the landscape from early spring to early summer with their colorful blossoms. After blooming, these plants often fade into the background, allowing the summer flowering plants to take center stage. Their bright yellow blooms brighten the landscape for a couple of weeks in early spring.
Plants prefer full sun to light shade and a well-drained soil.
Plant size ranges from 3 to 8 feet. Flower buds on many older forsythia varieties often are destroyed during Iowa winters. These durable shrubs or small trees tolerate a wide range of soils, drought, alkalinity, salt and high winds. They have bright, yellow pea-like flowers in mid to late spring. Size ranges from 3 to 15 feet tall depending on species and cultivars.