Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii)

Mock orange is a popular landscaping plant, and for good reason! This showy native shrub is recognized by its large white flowers that fill the air with a sweet fragrance, attracting swallowtail butterflies and other pollinators. It is fast growing and easy to grow, adapting to a wide range of conditions. While it prefers full sun and some moisture in the summer, it can handle partial shade and is drought tolerant once established. Mock orange is a beautiful specimen plant in the garden, and is also great for habitat hedgerows and shrub borders. The fibrous root system makes it useful for erosion control.

Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil & Moisture: Moist to seasonally dry soil. Drought tolerant once established.
Mature Size: Up to 10' tall
Bloom Time: Late spring to mid summer
Edible: No
Wildlife Value: Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Moth host plant. Provides cover and nesting sites. Browsed by elk and deer.
Native Range & Habitat: Grows in a variety of habitats: seasonally moist sites with well-drained soils, open forest, forest edges, streambanks, riparian areas, sagebrush deserts, and rocky hillsides. Widespread from southern British Columbia to California and east to Montana at low to middle elevations.
Other Names: Lewis's mock orange, western syringa