Western Mock Orange is a locally native deciduous shrub with masses of showy white flowers in June to July. These are seedlings of a shrub native to our wholesale nursery site. A certain percentage of the seedlings will be fragrant to a varying extent. The fragrance is most conspicuous after several seasons in the ground. Full sun to part shade in rich to rocky soils with regular water to establish and then set it free. Moderately fast growing to 8′ tall by 4′ in several years and then larger. Tough shrub that accepts a lot of soil types, in habitat it is most often seen on hillsides and even appears in riparian situations. Its most typical on the edges of forests. Associated plants in the wild are Western Hazel, Corylus cornuta californica and Oso Berry Oemleria cerasiformis, and Ocean Spray, Holodiscus discolor.Fall color is most often yellow and not spectacular. The pretty mid green foliage blends in to the landscape before and after its profuse period of bloom. Accepts summer drought when established to regular irrigation . Climate adapted shrub for wild areas to shrub borders. Blooms on OLD wood, prune after blooming if necessary. Oregon native plant.
Genus: Philadelphus
Philadelphus x microphyllus ‘Charles Price’
Excellent smaller shrub with distinctive very small silver foliage and in June a plethora of single white flowers with the intense, penetrating fragrance of grape soda. To 5′ x 3′ forming an upright rounded deciduous shrub. Full sun and regular water to establish the first year then none in subsequent years. This may or may not be a hybrid- it really looks like the straight species. P. microphyllus which is native to the American Southwest. Tough and hardy and very drought tolerant shrub that is well scaled for smaller gardens. Fall color is bright yellow. Blooms appear on wood from the previous season. Prune directly after flowering is over- if needed. Selected by our friend garden designer Charles Price, he gave this to us and we thought it was distinct enough to deserve his name.
Xera Plants Introduction.
Philadelphus lewisii ‘Snow Velvet’
No offense to natives but I’ve always found our native mock orange to be kind of a dull one note shrub. Sure, its showy in bloom and certain specimens can be sweetly fragrant but once its done blooming…yawn. What do you do with it? Instead plant this highly improved selection with enormous semi-double white sweetly fragrant flowers. Each blossom is fully 2″ across and they come in such abundance in June that whole 9′ x 8′ frame is flocked like an enormous wedding gown. Some repeat bloom through summer. Same wild habit as the species which is nice- but incredibly showy in bloom. Full sun to part shade in average, well drained soil. Drought adapted. Great scaffold for summer Clematis. Blooms on old wood, prune AFTER flowering if needed. Forms a distinctive large vase shape. Fall color is soft yellow and brief. Adaptable to both cultivated and feral/wild areas. Tough and climate adapted shrub. Oregon native plant.