Mock Orange
Philadelphus
Mock Orange blooms from May through June.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Mock Orange
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 8.2 ft tall and 6.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 4 years.
When to plant Mock Orange
Plant Mock Orange in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from May to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Comes in 6 varieties
Same plant, same care - pick the variety you are growing.
Good to know about Mock Orange
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
True mock orange (Philadelphus) is non-toxic, but the name is shared by poisonous look-alikes like Carolina laurelcherry, so confirm the botanical name before trusting it near pets. per NC State and ASPCA
Fragrance varies by cultivar
The old species and single-flowered forms smell intensely of orange blossom, but some newer double or showy cultivars trade much of that scent for bigger blooms. per NC State and Arkansas
Size depends on cultivar
The old species grows big, about 10 to 12 ft tall, but bred garden forms range from 2 to 10 ft, so check your cultivar's mature size. per NC State and Minnesota
Prune right after flowering
It blooms on old wood, setting next year's buds the prior season, so prune right after the flowers fade, by about July; a later cut removes those buds. per NC State
Renew leggy plants gradually
To fight legginess, cut about a third of the oldest canes to the ground each year after flowering; younger wood replaces the old framework over roughly three years. per Iowa State
Few serious pests
One of its main selling points: no serious pests or diseases, just occasional minor aphids, scale, leaf spot, or powdery mildew that rarely need treatment. per NC State and Minnesota
Feeds night pollinators
The night-fragrant flowers draw bees, butterflies, and especially moths and bats; the western native cousin P. lewisii is also valued by native bees. per NC State and Lady Bird Johnson
What pairs well with Mock Orange
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Black-Eyed Susan
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Purple Coneflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Blazing Star
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Hyacinth
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Passionflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; climbs to 13 ft behind it, height without the footprint.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Crocosmia
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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