Philadelphus is found widely in the wild, from Eastern Europe to the Himalayas, Eastern Asia and North and Central America, but in gardens we tend to grow cultivated varieties of these wild species and they can vary in both size and flowering type. The blooms appear in early summer and are always white and scented. Grow this shrub in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. The scent of its cup-shaped flowers are known to resemble that of orange blossom. Hence the common name ‘mock orange’
In your garden prune out some older wood immediately after flowering, cutting back flowered stems to a lower growth bud, which will then sprout and regrow. The green shoots that grow this summer will flower next year and in this way you can make sure that your shrub keeps producing flowers rather than becoming reluctant to flower.
Give the shrub a good mulch in spring to help seal in moisture this will help it stay healthy and well fed. Its flowering season may be brief but its glorious flowers are necessary for any garden.
