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Mock Orange Wikimedia Commons
Hydrangeaceae

Mock Orange

Philadelphus coronarius

Memory, fraternity, brotherly love.

Family
Hydrangeaceae
Genus
Philadelphus
Native to
Southern Europe, western Asia
Bloom season
Late Spring, Early Summer
Type
Deciduous shrub
Height
2–4 m
Sunlight
Full sun to part shade
Soil
Average, well-drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
4–8
Lifespan
Long-lived shrub

Did you know

  • Mock orange is named for its powerful fragrance, which smells almost identical to orange blossoms even though the plant is unrelated to citrus.
  • The genus name Philadelphus means 'brotherly love' in Greek and is unrelated to the city of Philadelphia.
  • The strong sweet scent — vanilla, citrus, and jasmine combined — was once one of the most popular notes in 19th-century English perfumery.
  • Mock orange is the state flower of Idaho, where it grows wild as Philadelphus lewisii, named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
  • Old-fashioned varieties bloom for just 2–3 weeks but are so heavily perfumed that a single bush can scent an entire backyard.

Color meanings

White

Pure remembrance

Uses

  • Hedges
  • Cottage gardens
  • Fragrance gardens
  • Specimen shrubs