Here are 10 great yellow-flowering shrubs for different climate zones.

Anearly bloomer, the yellow flowers of forsythia signal the end of winter like few other plants can.

The shrub is low-maintenance and fast-growing.

Shrubs with Yellow Flowers

The Spruce / Alison Czinkota

For small yards, there are several compact and dwarf varieties to choose from.

The ‘Arnold Promise’witch hazel cultivar (Hamamelisxintermedia) blooms even before forsythia.

A more important benefit to growing this bush is that it is agood shrub for fall color.

Forsythia shrub with small yellow flowers clustered on branches

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

For a purer yellow in an azalea shrub, tryRhododendron ‘Narcissiflora’.

Its lemon-yellow flowers, which are mildly fragrant, bloom in midspring.

Note that azalea is toxic to humans and pets.

Witch hazel shrub with small yellow blooms on bare branches

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

It is a rose for the shade; the flowers fade in full sun.

Japanese roses are either single or double flowers.

Both types have their champions.

Azalea shrub with small yellow flower clusters on branches with leaves

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

The kelly green color of its stems affords not onlywinter interestbut, in fact,year-round interest.

This is also a pop in of bush that will rebloom for you throughout the summer.

Mahonia

There areseveral kinds of mahonia(Mahonia japonica),a shrub in the barberry family.

Large yellow rose flower on shrub branch closeup

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Japanese mahonia (M. japonica) has pale-yellow flowers that bloom in April.

A native shrub of similar size and appearance but for sunny locations isOregon grape or Oregon grape-holly.

Its cheery yellow flowers in May or June turn into purplish-blue fruit in the summer.

Japanese rose shrub branches with flurry yellow flowers

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

St. John’s Wort

Just because commonSt.

Another cultivar with yellow flowers is Pumpkin Hypericum (H. inodorum’Kolmapuki’).

Its low growth habit makes it a great groundcover or addition to a rock garden.

Mahonia shrub with tiny yellow flowers and buds surrounded by waxy leaves

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

The plant is native to the Balkans, Turkey, and Syria.

In northern climates, it is deciduous and in warm climates, it is an evergreen.

Another reason for the popularity of this native shrub is that it is considered low maintenance once established.

St. John’s wart shrub stem with yellow flowers and buds closeup

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

It is a good choice for hot, dry locations.

The leaves are blue-green and the five-petaled flowers resemble the flowers of strawberries.

In addition to yellow, bush cinquefoil also comes in varieties with pink, orange, and white flowers.

Lydian broom shrub with thin branches and tiny yellow pea-like flowers

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Like all camellias, it is not very cold-hardy.

These evergreen shrubs bear dark green leaves that have a nice sheen to them.

The shape of the flowers is reminiscent of roses.

Bush cinquefoil shrub with red branch stems and yellow flowers on ends

The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

Forsythia is a great example of a shrub that blooms yellow early in the season on its bare branches.

This bush blooms around the same time as spring bulbs.

However, the very earliest bush to bloom yellow is witch hazel.

Camellia nitidissima

Jose A. Bernat Bacete / Getty Images