Plant ID for the newly passionate, long-time ignorant.

I have owned my home for about 15 years now and never really took much interest in the garden. Recently my wife took some initiative in getting a basic garden going with a couple of fruit trees and a variety of leafy greens. After taking a handful of things out of my yard and putting them in my mouth I'm hooked and now want to know everything that's going on in my yard. On to the question.

What is this? I cut it to nothing in May with the intent of removing it in favor of something I knew, but it has come back with a vengeance. Its leaves turn gold with age and the stalks will start to tie themselves in knots when the sun starts to get scarce. Roots are wide spread and apparently shallow, but not so shallow that I can get below them:). There are a few starts growing from the spread out roots, but they aren't so aggressive.

I'm thinking this may be a great compost source, but I'd like to know what else it's good for.

My Google fu is weak, please help.

Thanks.

It looks to me like Forsythia, a common ornamental shrub. If this is the case there should be bright yellow flowers all along the branches early in the spring, before the new leaves come out. As far as usefulness go, I don't know of anything beyond one species, I think, being a Chinese medicinal......

Thank you.

I had glanced over a Forsythia picture early on, but it didn't quite look right on my phone. Now that I've done some more detailed searching this looks right.

I have soooooo much to learn . Thank you again.

If it is forsythia,I am pretty certain the flowers are edible.
They also have hollow stems, and make "good"switches!

I'd say forsythia as well. You should see and possibly remember seeing the whole plant covered in very bright yellow blooms the the early spring. It's quite a show when there are a lot of them planted together.