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Fragrant Mockorange

Philadelphus coronarius (fill-uh-DEL-fus kore-uh-NAIR-ee-us)

Family: Hydrangeaceae Non-native Shrub (3-15 ft)

A rounded shrub in the hydrangea family with stiff, straight ascending arching branches; dense, twiggy; can become leggy so may need to be pruned to shape. Plant in full sun to partial shade. Tolerates a variety of soil types but prefers moist, well-drained soil. It is drought and wind tolerant. While it is gorgeous in bloom and its fragrance is intoxicating it is rather unremarkable the rest of the year. Plan your landscape design accordingly. Consider planting near a patio so the fragrance can be enjoyed especially in the evening. It makes an excellent addition to a cottage garden or used in foundation plantings, or as a hedge or privacy screen. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Aphids, nematodes, scale, and leaf miners can cause some damage. Leaf spot, canker, powdery mildew, and rust are occasional diseases.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 48 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Gardenia jasminoides 'Crown Jewel' Syringa pubescens subsp. pubescens Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low; Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Ascending; Dense; Multi-stemmed; Oval
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Opposite, simple medium to dark green leaves; 1.5-4 in. long; non-showy fall color
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Cross
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1-1.5 in. 4-petaled white flowers in small clusters (5-7 flowers) racemes. Blooms from May to June; very fragrant
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
4 valved capsule
Bark color
Dark Brown
Bark detail
Dark brown bark that exfoliates as it ages
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
North EastTurkey to Caucasus
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Patio
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Nighttime Garden
Design feature
Foundation Planting; Hedge; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#deciduous #showy flowers #wind tolerant #drought tolerant #white flowers #nighttime garden #cottage garden #fragrant flowers #foundation planting #exfoliating bark #hedge #screen #bat friendly #moth friendly
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Drought; Wind

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.