Shrub
Mock orange
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in June | Flowers in July | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in February | Plant in March | Plant in October | Plant in November | Plant in December | |||||||
| Prune | Prune in July | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in June | Looks good in July |
Overview
Philadelphus is an old cottage-garden shrub whose white, four-petalled flowers carry one of the strongest scents of the season in June and early July. Garden varieties vary hugely in size: 'Virginal' is tall with double flowers, 'Belle Etoile' is medium-sized with a purple blush at the centre, 'Manteau d'Hermine' is a dwarf, and Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus' has golden spring leaves.
Where to grow mock orange
Sun produces the most flowers, but light shade is tolerated. It is very adaptable on soil and particularly good on chalk. Plant it beside a path, patio or open window so you catch the fragrance, and mix it with roses and weigela in a shrub border.
Planting
Plant bare-root shrubs in the dormant season and container plants in autumn or spring. Dig in some compost, plant at the original depth and water thoroughly. Give it room, as larger varieties spread wide.
Care through the year
Spring
Mulch and give a light general feed; gold-leaved forms appreciate shade from midday sun.
Summer
Water in long dry spells and prune as soon as the flowers fade.
Autumn
A good time to plant or move young shrubs while the soil is warm.
Winter
No care needed; bare stems show where the framework can be thinned next summer.
Pruning
Flowers form on shoots made the previous year. Straight after flowering, cut the stems that have bloomed back to strong young shoots lower down, and remove about one in four of the oldest stems at ground level. This keeps the shrub vigorous and full of flowering wood. Do not prune in winter or spring, which removes the flowers.
Propagation
Softwood cuttings in early summer and hardwood cuttings in autumn both root well. Suckers with roots can also be dug up from the edge of established clumps.
Common problems
Blackfly can colonise shoot tips in early summer; rub them off or blast them with water, and let ladybirds and hoverflies take over. Powdery mildew may dust leaves in dry seasons. Lack of flowers almost always comes from pruning at the wrong time.
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in February, March, July, October, November and December. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.