Philadelphus - Mock Orange
Sweet smelling citrus-like aroma, a prolific bloomer and great visual barrier, the Mock Orange is a great addition to your landscape border.
| Philadelphus | Deciduous Shrub |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Early Summer |
| Light | Sun - Part Sun |
| Water | Well Drained Sandy Loam |
| Diseases | Mildew, Rust, Botrytis |
| Pests | Scale |
| Propagation | Softwood Cuttings, Divide Suckers |
| Color | White |
| Height | 3 - 15 feet tall |
| Zones | 4 - 8 |
| pH Range | 4.5 - 6.5 |
| Special features | Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant |
Philadelphus - Mock Orange
The Philadelphus is an outstanding late spring to early summer bloomer deciduous shrub.
Most of it's popularity of this shrub is due to the citrus orange-like fragrance and attractive white blooms that are prolific in early summer.
The flowers range from single white with bright yellow stamens, semi-double to fully double and up to 2" across.
The size of this deciduous shrub varies considerably from 3 to 4 feet for the compact varieties up to 20 feet for the P. gordonianus giant.
Because of this variety in height, it makes it possible to use the Mock Orange in many different areas of the landscape, ranging from specimen plants to dense hedgerow fences..
The rather stiff, yet graceful branches make for a popular choice for indoor cut flower arrangements.
Although the plant does the best in Full Sun, the Mock Orange will tolerate a bit of shade. The plant will tolerate drought and less than ideal soil conditions.
Plants that are container-grown can be transplanted anytime of the year.
Bareroot plants should be planted during the plants dormancy sometime between November and early April.
You can also divide suckers off the parent plant in early spring and plant normally.
Transplanting established Mock Oranges should be transplanted during the dormant period of November to early March.
Mix in a generous amount of peat moss in the planting hole along with a non-burning fertilizer or cow manure.
Be sure to stake large plants after transplanting to protect from winter winds.
Philadelphus - Mock Orange
To get the full benifit from your Mock Orange shrubs, plant them along your garden pathways, patio, seating areas and driveway. Plant them everywhere you wish to enjoy their fragrance and beautiful flowers.
It's natural tendency is to grow in a vase-shape, but if you prune the plant, it will fill-out and become quite dense, so you could use it as a visual barrier.
In large areas a grouping of three to five plants of the taller varieties will provide an attractive privacy screen in late spring summer.
Philadelphus - Mock Orange
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Galahad mock orange (Philadelphus 'Galahad') produces small, glossy leaves and medium-sized fragrant white flowers on a plant that grows 8 feet tall and wide. Zones 4-7
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Miniature Snowflake mock orange (Philadelphus 'Miniature Snowflake') is a dwarf from that grows only 3 feet tall. It bears lots of double white, fragrant flowers in spring. Zones 5-8
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Minnesota Snowflake mock orange (Philadelphus 'Minnesota Snowflake') bears very large, double flowers that are fragrant, on an upright, well-branching plant growing to 8 feet tall. Very cold hardy. Zones 3-7
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Virginal mock orange (Philadelphus virginalis) produces large, semidouble white blooms are sweetly fragrant and resemble white roses when in bud. It grows 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Zones 5-8
Since the Mock Orange is not considered a heavy feeder, just keep an eye on the plant for signs of nutritional need. If the leaves start to turn yellow or the plant looses its vigor, it is time to give it some food.
The best time to fertilize the Mock orange is in late February or early March. Use an all purpose Rose type fertilizer by applying at the drip line of the plant edges. Immediately water in the fertilizer thoroughly after application.
Philadelphus - Mock Orange
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