Philadelphus x virginalis
Mock Orange
Description
Beautiful, extremely fragrant, double white flowers on a fountain-like form. Striking landscape specimen. Useful as a screen or informal hedge. Effective background plant. Deciduous. This North American native has long been a favorite white-flowering shrub for colder climates. Big and bushy like Deutzia, its flowers are much showier and are great for night or all-white gardens. Coloring also provides a good neutral background for showier perennials and flowering shrubs. Line it up as a boundary hedge or use as an attractive screen. Also suitable as a foundation plant. Prefers enriched, slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish an extensive root system; reduce frequency once established. Apply a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a formal appearance, prune annually after flowering. Does best in full sun, quickly reaching 6-8' tall and 6' wide. Tolerates coastal conditions.
Plant Type
Shrub
Height Range
6-12'
Width Range
Flower Color
White
Flower Season
Spring
Leaf Color
Dark Green
Bark Color
n/a
Fruit Color
n/a
Fruit Season
n/a
Sun
Full
Water
Medium, Extra in Summer
Growth Rate
Fast
Soil Type
Loam
Soil Condition
Rich, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid
Adverse Factors
n/a
Design Styles
English Cottage, Seascape, Woodland
Accenting Features
Fragrance, Showy Flowers, Specimen
Seasonal Interest
Spring
Location Uses
Background, Foundation, Raised Planter, Walls / Fences
Special Uses
Hedge, Screen, Mass Planting
Attracts Wildlife
n/a
Dig-up patches of weeds and undesirable grasses from turf areas.
Use water to grow the turf you want, not the weeds you don't want! Once you have eliminated what you don't want, add sod or over-seed to repair the bare areas.