The choice of Philadelphus variety is very important for
ensuring that you have the right size shrub and habit of
flowering in your garden border or bed. Get it wrong, and you
either end up with a very vigorous giant of a shrub in a small
area, or almost as bad, a smaller growing shrub trying in vain
to fill the space that you decreed it would fill.
Insofar as flower is concerned, all mock oranges have white flowers
some double, some single, some drooping others in erect clusters.
So, if you are going to plant a mock orange, and you should, get the
variety right. Then you are well on the way to success with masses of
fragrant white flowers in early summer.
As
an owner of a garden centre in years gone by, I have learned that size
is important. With Philadelphus varieties, choosing the right one for
your own situation is essential. So this list of Mock Orange Bush
varieties is in size order starting with the largest. Be aware of the
sizes of Philadelphus, both in height and potential spread.
This mock orange is the grand daddy of them all as far as size is
concerned. Together with that attribute, it has a stunning display of
pure white, fully double flowers hence its name and is very scented.
Flowering time for Philadelphus
virginal is early summer. Its height is around 3m with a spread of
2.5m. Allow plenty of room and prune as suggested.
Although as tall (almost) as the Philadelphus Virginal, it is more erect in habit but nonetheless has slightly arching branches when laden with its semi-double, white and very fragrant flowers. It flowers a little later than the top one, but only just. 3metres tall with an ultimate spread of 2 meters sometimes more when in full bloom
This is my favourite mock orange with its large cup-shaped pure white
flowers on slightly arched stems.
Flowers are sometimes tinged pink with age. Another of the taller
ones with a height of approx 2.5 metres and a similar spread
You would buy this more for its golden foliage especially the new
leaves in early summer. This one is best in light shade, though will
also grow but with some scorching in full sun. Flowers tend to look
cream rather than white, but this is probably because of the lack of
contrast with the yellow foliage. I would grow this just for its foliage
cutting it back hard each spring and thereby losing the flowers, but
gaining larger brighter leaves. 2.4meters with an upright growth that
restricts it to 1.5meters spread.
This is a medium size mock orange with masses of white single flowers on
arching stems. Early summer for flowering, with height and spread of
2meters.
As
the name suggests, this has an arching, almost weeping habit when laden
with its pure white scented flowers. A little later flowering than most
normally in mid-summer - its height of around 1.5 is outdone by its
arching spread of 2meters or more.
Small single pure white flowers which claim the title of most scented
mock orange! Philadelphus Lemoinei makes up for its small flower size by
producing many blooms, so just as showy and perhaps more dainty than
some. About 1.5metres height and spread. Early summer for flowers.
Again the arching growth on upright stems, full of single flowers, but
this time different in that they have a centre of lightest purple
which does not detract from the overall white show. Scented of course,
and early flowering sometimes in late spring. It grows around
1.2metres high but be aware of its arching habit which will see it as
a 2.5meter wide mound. Quite stunning!
Fragrant but slightly cream coloured flowers. The flowers are very double in profusion. A dense bush, but only to around 1 metre tall with slightly more of a spread when in flower early summer.
The bark is attractive on this mock orange, as are the slightly nodding
pairs of flowers. Upright in growth and not arching, this is a dainty
little Philadelphus weighing in at around 1meter for height and spread.
The small leaves account for the name suffix of microphyllus!
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