Mock orange

Mock orange: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright shrub 2–2.5 m tall and about 2 m wide, with slightly arching branches.

Leaves

Oval, 4–8 cm, slightly toothed, opposite; fresh green and deciduous.

Flowers

Double or semi-double white flowers of 4–5 cm, in small clusters on short side shoots, in June–July.

Scent

Heavy and sweet, reminiscent of orange blossom.

Bark

Older branches have brown, peeling bark.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: July

Why grow it?

• One of the most strongly scented garden shrubs: on a mild June day the fragrance fills the whole garden.
• Fully hardy and undemanding, even on chalky or rather dry soil.
• Bees visit the flowers, especially in varieties with single or semi-double flowers.
• A few branches in a vase scent the whole house; remove most of the leaves first.
• A good shrub for an informal hedge or the back of a border.

Mock orange: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; in full sun it flowers most freely and smells strongest.
• Any ordinary garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky, preferably well drained.
• Tolerates a dry summer once well established, but not waterlogging.
• Space 1.5–2 m apart; as an informal hedge about 1 m.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

2.5 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Roses: They flower together in June: a classic scented corner.
• Hardy geranium: Loose, flowering ground cover at the foot of the shrub.
• Catmint: Blue flowers in front of the white shrub.
• Lilac: Scents the garden in May; mock orange takes over in June.

Mock orange: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November, when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and loosen the bottom of the hole.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as it was in the pot and mix some compost into the soil you dug out.
4. Firm the soil well and give a full watering can.
5. Mulch the base with compost or wood chips and water in dry spells during the first year.

Care

Water

In dry spells during the first year; after that it usually copes on its own.

Feeding

A layer of compost in spring is enough. Too much nitrogen gives lots of leaves and fewer flowers.

Mulching

A mulch keeps the soil moist and the weeds down.

Renewal

Sawing out one or two of the oldest stems at the base each year keeps the shrub young and free-flowering.

Tip: Plant it by a patio or seating area and prune straight after flowering, as it flowers on last year’s wood: then it will flower freely again the following year.

Mock orange: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July.

When: Straight after flowering, in July: it flowers on last year’s wood.

How:

• Cut flowered stems back to a young, strong side shoot.
• Each year, saw out one or two of the oldest, thickest stems just above ground level.
• Keep the young shoots from the base: they will carry next year’s flowers.
• Renovate a neglected shrub over three years by removing a third of the old stems each time.

Caution: Don’t prune in winter or spring: you would cut off that year’s flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Softwood cuttings

In June–July, 10 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, lower leaves removed, in moist cutting compost under plastic.

Hardwood cuttings

In November–December, push 20 cm cuttings of ripe wood two-thirds into the soil in a sheltered spot. They root during the spring.

Layering

In summer, pin a low branch into the soil and sever it after a year.

Mock orange: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −25 °C: no protection needed.
• In a large pot: stand the pot in shelter against a wall and wrap it in severe frost.
• In winter it is bare and unremarkable: plant it among or behind evergreen shrubs.

Diseases and pests

• Black bean aphid: Black aphids on young shoot tips in May–June. Spray them off with water or let ladybirds do their work.
• Few flowers: Usually pruned too late or too hard, or the shrub is in too much shade. Prune only straight after flowering.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry weather. Water and choose an airy spot.
• Drought: Limp leaves and shrivelled flowers on young shrubs. Water generously and mulch the base.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Give compost.
• April: Plant. Mulch.
• May: Watch out for black bean aphids on the tips.
• June: Flowering with a heavy scent. Take softwood cuttings.
• July: End of flowering. Prune straight away and remove old stems.
• August: Water during long dry spells.
• October: Plant.
• November: Plant. Take hardwood cuttings.
• December: Take hardwood cuttings.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• In Dutch it is called ‘farmers’ jasmine’, but it is not a true jasmine: it belongs to the hydrangea family and owes the name only to its scent.
• The English name ‘mock orange’ refers to the scent, which is reminiscent of orange blossom.
• According to tradition, the scientific name Philadelphus honours the Egyptian king Ptolemy II Philadelphus.