Delighting in the sweet flowers of the mock orange

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Mock orange flowers have a sweet citrusy scent.

WHILE looking through a list of new flowers that can be grown here during the last few weeks, I have found two to three varieties to share with all of you in the coming weeks. These flowers are not commonly grown here for lack of sharing and understanding.

White beauties

With observant eyes, I came across the beautiful white flowers of the mock orange. With many flowers, it quickly reminded me of the same plant I enjoy in New Zealand. I liked it so much that I paid a handsome sum for it.

Philadelphus coronarius or sweet mock orange comes in over 60 varieties, including some with golden leaves called Aurea and snowflake. This is the white syringa of the Hydrangea family. It grows as a shrub but might get to the size of a tree over 12 feet tall.

It is a multi-stemmed shrub that spreads its branches evenly. Mock orange flowers have a rich nectar and will attract butterflies.

As the name suggests, it is not a true orange but only the fragrance of the flowers resembles the citrusy jasmine plant. This plant was originally from southern European countries such as Italy, but can grow in full sun to partial shade locally in well-drained loamy soil of pH6 to pH8.

Leaving mock orange to grow in the ground may see it get unmanageable.

How to grow it?

Getting nursery plantings with flowers is actually a good way to start. Remember to place the plant in a garden spot with morning sunshine.

It is a good idea to have an earthenware pot that is tall enough to hold more soil. The advantage of pot-planting is the ability to shift the plant to sunny positions as the direction of the morning sun changes throughout the year.

Planting in the ground might let the plant get too big and the flowers would be terminal – at the end of the canopy.

We love the flowers for their white petals and the attractive yellowish pistils or stamens inside, but most of all the fragrance of the blooms which smells like citrusy oranges.

This plant does not need much feeding. It is not necessary to add nutritious N – nitrogen or nitrate – as this only promotes healthy foliage growth but no flowers.

In the medium term for growth it is good to use compost with good top soil that is loamy. We need to adjust the pH level using lime or dolomite to lower the acidity to an alkaline status.

Ground planting would require us to dig a deep hole that is wide enough for all the roots to spread out properly. Now have the planting medium or the dugout soil well prepared before inserting the plant into the hole. Have the soil well packed and compacted. Then be sure to water it well.

Again, do not forget to neutralise the soil with lime or dolomite. As the plant has a robust root system, watering does not have to be regular except in dry weather or when planting in pots.

Pruning is required to keep the canopy smart for even distribution of sunshine and to encourage flowering. Prune off the odd positioned growths and unwanted or ill-formed branches.

To prevent the plant from being over-grown, we can prune the branches by one-third downwards to allow for rejuvenation. This will include new flowers after a season of growth.

Normally we fertilise the plant after severe or heavy pruning to encourage the shrub to grow new shoots and flowers.

How about including mock orange in your garden? Send me an email if you have questions, comments, or suggestions. Happy gardening.