Choose mock orange by group first: a sweet full-size shrub, a compact hybrid, or an American native. We list the catalog plants in those groups.
Choose a sweet full-size, a compact hybrid, or an American native first
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet full-size | P. coronarius and foliage forms for scent and height | Do not buy a twelve-foot shrub for a two-foot bed |
| Compact hybrid | Lemoinei selections for a low border | Do not expect a compact tag to stay under two feet without reading the Latin |
| American native | Lewisii, littleleaf, scentless, or hoary for regional kinds | Do not buy scentless when you wanted patio perfume |
| Shop names | Read the Latin; Snowbelle and Blizzard are nursery names we do not hold | Do not treat every nursery tag as a different genus |
Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of philadelphus that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.
2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.
Read the species on the tag. Mock oranges share sun and drain; they do not share one outline or one scent. [1] [2] Sweet coronarius is the full-size perfume shrub for a back border. Compact hybrids stay lower for a patio or small bed. Native kinds split east and west — wild mock orange in the West, scentless in the Southeast. [3] [4] Once you know the kind, site it on How to Grow Mock Orange.
Which kind of mock orange should I plant?
Start with sweet coronarius unless you need a compact hybrid or a regional native. Read the Latin — scentless mock orange has little perfume.
Is Snowbelle a different species?
Snowbelle is a virginalis selection some nurseries sell. This catalog does not hold that SKU. Compact hybrids are the small group we list.
Browse by kind
Sweet mock orange
sweet mock orange is the classic full-size shrub: eight to twelve feet, strongly fragrant white flowers in late spring. Aureus opens gold in spring and softens later. Variegatus keeps a cream edge on green leaves. These are P. coronarius forms, not compact hybrids.
Compact hybrids
Manteau d’Hermine stays about two to three feet and piles on double white flowers. Belle Etoile is taller, with a maroon blotch in the throat. Avalanche is a cascading lemoinei hybrid in the same compact class.
American natives
wild mock orange is the western native (Lewis mock orange). littleleaf mock orange is a smaller western shrub. scentless mock orange is a southeastern native with little or no perfume despite the common name. hoary mock orange is a broader-leaved American species.
Read the Latin on the tag — a twelve-foot sweet mock orange and a two-foot hybrid do not share one outline.
FAQ
Is Blizzard the same as wild mock orange?
Blizzard is a cold-hardy lewisii selection some catalogs list. This catalog holds wild mock orange (P. lewisii), not a separate Blizzard card.
Do all mock oranges smell like orange blossom?
Most do. Scentless mock orange (P. inodorus) has little or no perfume. Smell the plant in bloom before you buy for a patio.
Is Japanese mock orange in this list?
No. Evergreen Japanese mock orange is Pittosporum. Mexican orange is Choisya. This list is deciduous Philadelphus.
Related guides
References
- [1] University of Minnesota Extension -
https://extension.umn.edu/trees-and-shrubs/mockorange - [2] Gardener’s Path -
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/ornamentals/grow-mock-orange/ - [3] Oregon State University -
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/philadelphus-lewisii - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/philadelphus-inodorus/
This note is part of Philadelphus Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors