Philadelphus coronarius, commonly known as sweet mock-orange, is a popular ornamental plant known for the lavish, sweet smell of its gentle flowers. Sweet mock-orange is a deciduous, dense shrub commonly found in Mediterranean woodlands and scrubs.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Philadelphus coronarius (sweet mock orange, English dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Southern Europe.
The specific epithet “coronarius” means “used for garlands”.
It is a deciduous shrub growing to 3 m (10 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft) wide, with toothed leaves and bowl-shaped white flowers with prominent stamens. In the species the blooms are abundant and very fragrant, but less so in the cultivars. It may resemble, but is not closely related to, varieties of the similarly named dogwood, which is the common name for Cornus in the family Cornaceae.
It is a popular ornamental plant for gardens in temperate regions, valued for its profuse sweetly scented white blossom in early summer. There are a large number of named cultivars. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit:
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The sweet mock-orange enjoys sunlight so the perfect location for the sweet mock-orange is in your garden with lots of sunshine and partial shade. If there is too much shade, this can lead to reduced growth and pale coloured leaves. While young sweet mock-orange should avoid long periods of direct sunlight, a mature sweet mock-orange will tolerate full sun, and this can lead to a larger number of blossoms in the spring.
Temperature
Native to North and Central America and parts of Europe, the sweet mock-orange is will thrive in temperatures between 12 to 25 ℃with the optimum temperature being around 18 ℃ for the leaves to remain healthy and for the maximum amount of blossom.
As the sweet mock-orange is deciduous, it can tolerate winter conditions where temperatures drop to as low as -18 ℃ but will die if the temperature goes below this. Because of its hardiness, the sweet mock-orange is perfect for an outdoor garden as long as it is regularly watered and has adequate access to sunlight.
Watering
If you have just planted your sweet mock-orange, it will need lots of watering during the first month while it establishes its roots. For example, it may need watering every five days. After this, it will be fine with regular watering, such as once every three weeks or so.
When planted in the garden and established, the sweet mock-orange does not need much watering due to its deep root systems. If it is planted in a container, or if it is hot weather, then it may need additional watering. A good tip is to test how moist the first few inches of the soil is, if it is very dry then it’s a good time to water your sweet mock-orange. In winter, your sweet mock-orange will not need watering at all.
Soil
The sweet mock-orange is reasonably robust, so will happily tolerate many types of garden soil. However, the optimum soil for the sweet mock-orange is a slightly moist and rich soil which is relatively neutral with a pH value of 6-8. The sweet mock-orange cannot tolerate soils which dry quickly, so it’s better to retain the moisture. A good tip is to cover the top of your soil with mulch or garden compost, at the beginning of spring. This mulch will also provide your sweet mock-orange with the nutrients that it needs.
Fertilizing
One of the reasons that sweet mock-orange is excellent for beginners is because it doesn’t need a lot of care or much fertilizer. If your soil is rich in nutrients or if your sweet mock-orange is planted near to other shrubs, it may not require any fertilizer at all.
If you want to encourage the growth of your sweet mock-orange, it is recommended to use all-purpose plant food at the beginning of summer. Ensure that you avoid a nitrogen-rich fertilizer as this can result in a lack of growth and even prevent blossom. A good tip is to immediately water the shrub after using the fertilizer to help it soak into the soil.
Planting Instructions
The sweet mock-orange can be fast-growing and reach heights of 3 m and have a spread of 2.5 m, so it’s important to ensure that there is enough space surrounding where your sweet mock-orange is planted. It is best to plant your sweet mock-orange at the beginning of fall, ensure the pit has been dug deep enough for all of the roots and spread the roots out before adding soil. A general rule is to dig a hole twice the size as the root ball. After planting your sweet mock-orange, make sure to water it well.
It is recommended to plant your sweet mock-orange in the garden as opposed to containers. The sweet mock-orange can be grown in large-sized containers, but this will limit their growth. If your sweet mock-orange is planted in a container, make sure to regularly check if it needs watering and repot every two years.
Pruning
Sweet mock-orange will only flower for a short amount of time, and it is recommended to prune your sweet mock-orange immediately when its flowers start to wilt. This should happen around late summer, and if you do not trim your sweet mock-orange, it may affect flowering the following year.
To prune your sweet mock-orange, remove one of every four older stems right to the base and remove the top third of its growth, so your shrub should be around 1 m high. Finally, make sure to prune the stem above the outer-facing buds which have finished flowering. A useful tip is to check for any poorly positioned branches and remove these too to guide the growth of your shrub.
Propagation
It is relatively straightforward to propagate the sweet mock-orange from either cuttings or seeds. If propagating with seeds, at the beginning of fall, simply sow the seeds in small containers with cultivation soil and keep them well watered. After a few weeks, you should start to see small seedlings. From here, plant them in your garden, and they should continue to grow.
If growing from cutting, take a long shoot in summer after the last blossom. The shoot should be around 20 cm with the lower leaves removed. plant the shoot in a small container and keep the soil moist until they start to develop roots. Your container should be about 10 cm deep. A good tip is to dip the end in rooting powder before planting to encourage growth. Because the cuttings are sensitive to frost and root rot, it is far easier to use seeds to grow your sweet mock-orange.
III. Uses and Benefits
Sweet mock-orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is a popular deciduous shrub that rewards gardeners with abundant flowers that produce an orange-like fragrance. This fragrance is so appealing that the plant should be grown near patios or in borders close to the home. The plant’s dense growth means that it also makes for a good flowering hedge. Recommended companion plants include plantain lily, bellflower, and Macedonian scabious.
