Sweet Mock Orange- Philadelphus coronarius
Description
General: A large, arching, suckering shrub with stiff, leggy branches growing 10 to 12’ in height and width.
Leaves: Opposite, simple and ovate, 1 to 4” long. Leaves are green in the summer with little to no fall color.
Flower: Fragrant white flowers up to 1 ½” appear on 5 to 7 flowered racemes in May.
Fruit: Dark brown exfoliating capsule persists for many months.
Attributes: Used in cottage gardens, as a hedging shrub or for screens.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Growing Conditions: Adaptable. Prefers moist, well drained, organically rich soils in full sun to part shade.
Maintenance: Susceptible to canker, leaf spots, powdery mildew, rust, aphids, nematodes and leaf miner.
Transplanting: Easily transplanted to well-draining soil due to adaptability.
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
Mock orange is a beautiful shrub during its blooming period in late spring through early summer. With that said, it’s not ornamentally effective the remaining months of the season. With this in mind, we have opted to select alternative shrubs with multi seasonal interest in place of mock orange in the gardens it would be well suited for on Great Hill. New varieties boast longer bloom times, cleaner foliage and more compact size.