Easter bush (also Easter flower) noun The common forsythia plant (Forsythia virdissima).
1944 Hayes Word-List NC 33 Easter bush = forsythia. 1960 Stubbs Mountains-Wise (April-May) 6 It is readily seen from it’s blooming season how forsythia acquired the name “Easter flower.” 1995 Montgomery Coll: Easter bush (known to Cardwell).
—Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English
We’ve always called forsythia yellow bells. The ones around mine and Granny’s house are blooming to beat the band. Yesterday I traveled over to Sylva, NC and I noticed them blooming all along the way. It was a dreary day and the yellow really shone brightly through the gloom.
Some of the yellow bells I saw had been trimmed into spheres and orbs. Other were like mine and Granny’s, left to grow hither and yon where they will.
Do you call them yellow bells, forsythia, or Easter bushes?
Whatever you call them, the bushes are certainly a cheery sight in the drab landscape of late winter.
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I’ve always called them yellow bells. I, too, let them grow hither and yon. They are so beautiful when they’re allowed to do their own thing. I don’t like any flowering shrub pruned into shapes. it takes away from their natural beauty. Yellow
Bells do perk up your day when it’s gloomy and rainy. I do love them so. Thanks, Tipper.
Hi Tipper,
I am a new subscriber though I’ve been watching your videos for months now. I started reading your blog a few weeks ago. I love hearing about the flowers and vegetables you grow. I am a flower gardener myself. Your mother is adorable; reminds me of my Grannie, who was born in Jamestown Ky. People who live so close to the land always seem to have an innate wisdom.
I love the cadence of your voice; it’s very calming! I’m in Kansas and I have a forsythia right outside a kitchen window; love hearing the other names for them. I have some crocus blooming and the tulips and hyacinths are up about four inches; it’s pretty early, March can be pretty cold and snowy here. I just try to trust that they know what they’re supposed to be doing! Love what you’re doing with your blog and the videos! I’d like to share my Grannie’s recipe for okrie with you sometime; I haven’t heard anyone mention anything like it. Wishing all a beautiful day!
Growing up on Long Island we called them Forsythia
I was always excited to see them bloom because it signaled the end of winter!!
My Mom always had a time pronouncing forsythia. So many years ago my Dad renamed it FORHOOTHYSIA. It will always be forhoothysia to me.
They are pretty! I think I’m going to try and plant these in my yard this year, I love anything yellow! I was reading about them and they like full sun. I’m {almost} ready for Spring…
They are pretty! I wonder if these are something I can grow in Missouri?
Interesting to see the bushes trimmed in forms (topiaries). Just a sign of others from other places moving in. I don’t recall anyone trimming them into forms.
I got my tax bill and it went up 25%. I was lucky, most double or more (here in macon county). Curious if you e seen any increases.
Im thinking of selling and moving. Too much “progress” here for me in franklin. Ugh!
Don’t even notice the yellow bells for the roundabouts, various ingles and other groceries ( currently 4-6 and a huge one being built that is bigger than Walmart), then there’s Walmart and an aldis is about to open. I don’t go to any other than old ingles on corner of downtown which they will likely shut down.
Spring has sprung! So have the tourists and ever demanding shaving off sides of mountains to build mansions and people coming to change things.
I guess that was more than you thought you’d get from a yellow bell post.
Lol
Life in the mountains, on this side, anyway.
We called them Yellow Bells. they grew at my house in Fort Mill. SC. Every time I see them blooming, I think of my Mom, she loved them.
Yellow Bells are one of the few things I can get to grow. I enjoy them.
I have always heard them called yellow bells. A few years ago l planted some yellow bells in front of a redbud tree. Every spring l look forward to them blooming together. The purple and yellow compliment one another so beautifully. They’re in full splendor in my backyard now.
Thank you!
God bless you and your family.
My yellowbells grow hither and thither!
We’ve always called them forsythias and let them grow any way they want to go. Never have heard them called Easter bush . They are beautiful and let’s us know spring is coming.
good moring from christchurch new zealand over here its the start of autumn so the plant in question isnt in flower but we have always called it forsythia looks so beautiful when its flowering we just let it grow and just do whatever way it wants have a great week eveyone think you call the season fall over there regards betty
We call them yellow bells too. And my February roses have busted out with them. They’re so pretty together red and yellow!
Yellow Bells are what we have always called them, and they are absolutely beautiful! I have never heard them called Easter bushes.
I just call mine my yellow bush. I use to have 2 hut one just died and I only have the one left but I do love and enjoy it . it is bloomed out and so pretty.
My forsythia bush did not bloom this year. Probably due to the several days of below freezing temps unusual to FL. It is full of green leaves so I’m hoping that next spring I will see the beautiful little yellow flowers.
I’ve always called them yellow bells. They were one of my grandmother’s favorites. I like them too.
An old bush for sure. I always called it Forsythia but yellow bells is a pretty name. “Good Grief Louise(Bill)” sure had a lovely story to tell of his wife’s (ForCynthia) bush. Gave me a big smile!
As a child my mom would always cut some of those beautiful vines next to our house that looked like a huge bush to take to decorate her mother’s grave. My grandmother had passed right after Easter the same year I was born, so I never knew her. Growing up I always associated the flower with graves, so when my mom called them forsythia bushes, I as a young child thought she said sympathy bushes. I have called them that ever since. I always wondered in my younger years why I got strange looks from some folks when I called them sympathy bushes, but of course now I know. It’s funny, nobody ever corrected me, even in my older years when I slip up and call them sympathy bushes. I’ve never heard them called yellow bells, or Easter flower, but I’m glad I know now they have other nick names. Funny the things we misinterpreted as young children that stick with us throughout life. The Forsythia bushes are in full bloom in my area of NC and so has the trees that blossom in Spring.
I’ve always called them forsythia bushes and never heard them called Easter flowers, that’s the name we gave daffodils. With temperatures in the 70s this week, I expect a lot of fruit trees will bloom early and get killed in March and April. Some flowering trees in Bernheim Forest are in full bloom about a month earlier than I have ever seen them.
I’ve always called them forsythia. Some are blooming here in central Virginia, and Mama had a big bush of it in our front yard growing up. It was still there when I sold her house after she passed.
I’ve called them yellow bells and forsythia. My bees love them too.
I didn’t know they were also called Easter Bushes. What a pretty name! I will have to ask my Mom if she has ever heard them called that, too.
Donna. : )
They are Forsythia in southern West Virginia. They are easy to get started by cutting a fresh green limb and placing it in water. It will get roots in no time and grow well. They were so pretty in spring. I used to cut the small new branches to make a colorful bouquet for Mom’s room. Ready for spring.
We always had these bushes around our house growing up. I loved them and they were called Yellow Bells. However, they also make good switches!
You are exactly right about forsythia brightening up the drab winter landscape! That bright burst of yellow to me is one of the most beautiful harbingers of spring along with sweet dogwood, tulips, daffodils and blooms of all types vying for the glance of an observant eye! To say which is loveliest is just too difficult! I’d like to have forsythia, but I don’t. And you say they’re shaped like balls and the like in NC? — mercy!!! Anybody shaping forsythia has too much spare time I think. I mean, can’t it just be? Lol FYI: when I slaved at a greenhouse one summer in Abingdon, VA for “jefe” I learned yellow and orange sell out faster than any color flowers. I’m full of useless information…
We’ve always called them forsythia, and they bloom anytime we have a halfway warm stretch from December on.
It’s still to early up here in Indiana for anything. I am anxiously awaiting the daffodils, forsythia, tulips and all the beautiful sights of Spring to blossom. Things are coming up and the buds are getting bigger on the trees so it won’t be long.
We call them forsythia, Tipper, and yours are so beautiful!
Are your rhododendron blooming? I’d love to see a picture sometime.
Carolyn- not yet 🙂 but I’ll be sure to share a photo when they do.
Forsythia and yellow bells are what I call them. Don’t remember the name Easter bush. They have been blooming around here for the last two weeks or so. And, they seem extra beautiful and bright this year.
Mother called her’s yellow bells. She dearly loved all flowers and had a yard full of different ones. When her friends would visit, she had to walk them around the yard and show off her flowers. A few days ago when we were mentioning the daffodils blooming, I mentioned my grandmother’s old peony and would sorta hold my breath each year to see if would come back up, happily it has now came back out and will grow it seems like several inches a day. This flower is at least 70 years old.
We Have Always Called Them Yellow Bells I Haven’t Ever Heard Them Called Easter Bushes. isn’t that odd ? I live in KY right on the Tennessee and Kentucky border and mine are blooming they are so beautiful. everything is turning green and my Easter lilies are in bloom the frogs are singing it seems early to me for everything to be waking up .
I’m a little worried that everything is going to bud out and get killed by a big freeze. that’s what happened a few years ago my apple trees still haven’t recovered yet .
I have always heard everyone say that if March comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion and vice versa and by the weather their giving it’s coming in like a lamb so I guess we will see what happens. I still miss our winter’s like we use to have I love snow I love everything about winter . Every year I’m hoping for big snows I love looking out my window seeing a winter wonderland. watching my wildlife the Birds, Deer. Squirrels, Raccoons, coming to eat what I put out for them .
I also love having Four season’s to look forward to the only one I Dread is the hottest days of summer. I could also do without the poisonous snakes I’m terrified of them in the past few years we have been invaded by copperheads it’s scary when they are laying stretched out on your porch steps.
Have a Blessed day everyone
Definitely Yellow Bells. Here in central Alabama mine have already finished blooming and have put on their leaves. Daffodils are also finished. It’s crazy! The Lily of the Valley are blooming and the azaleas are just starting. Everything is so early this year but it sure helps on the dreary rainy days we are having!
Our Forsythia bushes are blooming here in Northwest North Carolina. I love the colors of spring! I really enjoy watching all of your videos! can’t wait to see how your garden grows this year! I learn a lot on your Channel, God bless and have a great week!
First heard them called “forsythia” so stuck with it. Here though they are called “yellow bells”. I have one blooming alongside a red-blooming ” burning bush”. Like you, I let the Forsythia grow as it wants to.
We always called them forsythia bushes in the mountains of north east PA Tipper.
I grew up in Georgia, and we called them both forsythia and yellow bells. This is the first time I’ve heard them called Easter Bushes. 🙂
We now live in NE Ohio (yeah…yuck), and ours have buds on them, but aren’t yet close to blooming. It’s interesting, up here, that, in the fall, we’ll usually see 5 or 10 rogue flowers show up on ours!
I like the “hither and yon” look so much better than the sculpted look!
I have seen them blooming all over even in spots where no one lives. I would love to have some in my yard. I hope to find before they stop blooming
My wife’s are blooming here in Texas now. Her given name is Cynthia. So, I call the bush “ForCynthia” because it blooms so close to her birthday. 🙂
I just remembered where I planted my forsythia plant this past weekend, as I had forgotten and noticed a ‘barren’ plant and thought it might be a weed…lol…Thanks for all your videos, I am anxious to see if your newly tiered side yard is gonna not be a mudslide before the grass can grow. God Bless
Yellow Bells are what we always called them. I always loved the first flowers of spring.