Mock Orange

Philadelphus lewisii

Hydrangeaceae

• Keystone plant
• Spokane Native
• Sun-Part Shade
• Size: 6’ tall x 6’ wide
• Drought Tolerant: Yes
• Evergreen: no
• Flower Color: creamy white (April - June)
• Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds

Upright, loosely-branched deciduous shrub with long arching stems and spectacularly fragrant white flowers. Named after Meriwether Lewis who discovered it in 1806. At the height of flowering, the shrub is literally covered in a mass of blossoms. The flowers have a heavy, sweet scent similar to orange blossoms with a hint of pineapple. Grows on well drained slopes and crevices in open forest. Many white aromatic flowers.

Four-petaled white flowers bloom in clusters of 3 to 15 at the ends of long stems in late spring to early summer. Each flower measures up to 4 cm across with numerous bright yellow stamens at the center. The oval, light green leaves are 3 to 5 cm long with smooth or serrated edges and rough texture, turning golden yellow in fall. Stems are red when new and fade to gray with age, with bark shredding in small flakes providing winter interest.

Highly valuable for pollinators with fragrant flowers attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Seeds are eaten by numerous songbirds including catbirds, grosbeaks, juncos, thrushes, bluebirds, chickadees, flickers, finches, quail, and grouse. Deer and elk browse the foliage. Historically used by many Pacific Northwest tribes to make combs, arrow shafts, snowshoes, baskets, harpoon shafts, and more. The flowers and leaves rich in saponins were used like soap to wash hands, body, and hair.

This plant is ideal for background shrub borders, specimen plantings, mixed hedges for screening, wildlife gardens, and pollinator gardens. Highly adaptable to a wide variety of conditions from full sun to partial shade, from moist to dry soils. Tolerates poor soil and is quite drought tolerant once established. Plant close to paths, windows, or entryways to enjoy the outstanding fragrance! Works well in coarse, medium, or fine soils. Regular light pruning helps keep plants dense and full, while occasional rejuvenating pruning maintains vigor. A stunning native that has been popular as an ornamental since it was introduced to Britain in 1825.

This is the state flower of Idaho