Best Mock Orange Varieties
Philadelphus or ‘Mock Orange’ are a fragrant deciduous shrub growing from 1m to 6m. They have masses of fragrant white flowers late in spring, the heavily scented species being a must for the fragrant garden.
All varieties do well as a feature shrub or at the back of the perennial border. Philadelphus ‘Beau Clerk’ with its large flowers is one of our favourites. Philadelphus delavayi is a wonderful species from China.
Philadelphus Varieties
From the first moment you catch the fragrance of Philadelphus varieties you will be looking for varieties that will suit your garden. And with both smaller growing and large shrub types you will be spoilt for choice.
Your choice will depend a little on you climate, however these are easy care and adaptable plants, and that wonderful orange citrus fragrance they are suited to all but arid areas and tropical climates.
Proper Name vs Common Name
- Proper (botanical) name: Philadelphus
- Common name: Mock Orange
The name “Mock Orange” comes from the flowers smelling similar to orange blossoms, even though the plant is not related to true citrus.
Best varieties
- For warmer climates look for P. mexicanus ( Mexican Mock Orange ) which is an evergreen species with beautifully scented white flowers in summer, while Philadelphus coronarius prefers a little shade.
- Look for Philadelphus x virginalis, a very popular cultivar. With its double white flowers it will easily reach around 3m in height with a similar spread. Trademark orange blossom fragrant flowers are pure white and double. The foliage is a deep green turning to a yellow before winter dormancy
- We like the larger flowering Philadelphus Beauclerk which has flowers to 6cm.
- Philadelphus Manteau d’hermine is a dwarf form, very compact. Some varieties have attractive peeling bark, others more elegant flowers as well as fragrance.
- P. ‘Natchez’ – Masses of fragrant white flowers , mid green foliage
- P. x lemoinei – Old fashioned bushy shrub, masses of white flowers bred in France in the late 1800s.
- P. Coronarius aureus is a variety with paler lime green foliage, masses of small flowers and it will, grow well and bloom in light to medium shade.
- Philadelphus belle etoile is one of the more compact growers, and with large white flowers through spring and summer is an excellent easy care plant for the garden. Although it is a smaller shrub than many of its relatives it is still in need of a little space.The long arching canes require a space of around 2m in width to perform at their best.
Philadelphus Care
Grow philadelphus in full sun to partial shade depending on species, and the climate.
- Prepare the soil by digging over well and adding some aged compost and a little cow manure.
- Plant at the same level as the plant was in the container.
- Water in well with a liquid seaweed fertiliser.
- Mulch around the plant to maintain a cool root run.
- Water regularly through the first summer.
- Fertilise each spring with a slow release all purpose fertiliser or a good organic fertiliser.
- Top dress with a little cow manure each spring and top up the mulch.
Mexican Mock Orange
Philadelphus mexicanus is the Mexican Mock Orange and is a vigorous plant that in good conditions can get to 5m + in height. This is one of those popular shrubs, evergreen and with masses of flowers from spring through to summer.
The flowers although smallish, are a creamy white, fragrant and along with mid green foliage the Mexican Mock Orange is a good plant in a place where it has the room to scramble. Be aware that this is a plant that can ‘take over’. We have seen it almost smother a 4m high camellia so for a small space it is not the best solution unless you are prepared to cut back hard every year or two.
- Pruning
You can happily prune P. mexicanus right back to .5 m above the ground if needed. In fact we strongly suggest you do keep this one in check, especially in warmer climates, and even more so in smaller spaces, where it can be a bully.
- Planting
A humus rich fertile soil is best. Full sun to part shade and a little water until established. After a year or two you will find that Philadelphus ‘Belle etoile’ is almost ‘bullet proof’, drought tolerant and if you need to it can be pruned back hard.
The only real problem is a poorly drained soil.
Pruning
Most Philadelphus can be pruned back hard after flowering to keep in shape.
Philadelphus or ‘Mock Orange are available from the following nurseries
412 James Lane, Fern Hill VIC. 3458 - Phone 0419002651
Large range of Rare plants, Climbers, Bulbs, Perennials Fruit Trees, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. Available both Retail and by Mail Order
www.whitehousenursery.com.au
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Philadelphus A Garden Designers Perspective
Philadelphus – brotherly love – is the poignant name for mock orange, a shrub with superb orange-scented white flowers in spring.
I find Philadelphus or Mock Orange (the name usually used for evergreen Philadelphus coronarius), to be the hardiest shrub in my unwatered garden in Victoria. It reaches 2.5m high in only 15cm of soil over sloping rock, where many other plants have perished. It survives and even grows during summer! The slightly squarish creamy white flowers are borne on attractive arching stems in late spring and early summer. However it is large and woody if cut back, so I only recommend this species to the country gardener who wants an evergreen screen beyond the reach of the hose.
Philadelphus – Species and Varieties
Philadephus are floriferous,The gold-leaf form, P. coronarius ‘Aurea’ leaves me rather cold but for those who like different foliage, it needs some sun for the fully golden effect.
Other Philadelphus are dazzlingly pure white (with the exception of pinkish P. ‘Belle Etoile’) and are deciduous. Well-known P. ‘Virginal’ has large double white flowers – 4cm across – but this variety is an ‘upright gaunt shrub’ to quote Phillips and Rix, and I find it the gawkiest shrub in my country garden. I keep it as it is hard to cull a plant that survives my harsh conditions – and flowers profusely – along with a straggly Spirea and a handsome Cistus. Even bearded iris fade to nothing here!
I really prefer the dwarf ones. Most well known is P. ‘Silver Showers’ or more correctly ‘Silbarregan’, a sweet bush to 1m high with single white flowers, less perfumed than most. This is rather upright compared to P. ‘Sybille’ with semi-double white flowers on gracefully arching stems; this variety reaches 1m and is the first to flower. As it is deciduous, I have dwarf Narcissus at its feet, where they receive sun in winter, and later these bulbs are shaded and hidden by the beautiful arching stems of the mock orange.
Next to flower is P. caucasicus, from Russia, which may flower into early summer along with P. coronarius.
The tallest I know are showy P. ‘Natchez’ which reaches 4m at Dicksonia Rare Plants Nursery in Mt Macedon; this variety has large white flowers in late spring; and P intectus to 5m from North America; I have not seen the latter in Australia.
To my insensitive nose, the perfume of evergreen P. coronarius is away the best and a few picked flowers are wonderful in the house. It’s also good to have such an easy plant in the garden: planted and forgotten, never watered, it thrives, which is perfect for the lazy (or to be kind, busy) gardener I am.
Jill Weatherhead is a garden designer in Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges and eastern Gippsland.
Jill Weatherhead