Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

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Philadelphus lewisii

Mock Orange

At a Glance: Erect, loosely branched shrub with large fragrant white flowers.

Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters).
Growth Form: Shrub.
Stems: Brown bark, checking and eventually flaking off.
Leaves: Opposite arrangement; oval to egg-shaped with 3 major veins stemming from leaf base, margins essentially smooth but with some young leaves being toothed; size: 3-5 cm (1-2 in) long; color: green.
Flowers: 4 petals; numerous stamens; 3-15 in clusters at the end of lateral branches; size: 2-3 across.
Flowering Period: May, June, July.
Fruits: Woody, 4-chambered capsules; shape: oval; size: 1 cm long.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: NI (no indicator data)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Can tolerate several soil types.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: Birds known to eat the seeds include catbirds, grosbeaks, juncos, thrushes, bluebirds, chickadees, flickers, finches, quail, and grouse. Insects: Swallowtail, common wood nymph, and other butterflies harvest the nectar. Mammals: Deer and elk browse the shrub.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Material Uses: The Saanich used the wood for bows and arrows. The Lummi made combs, netting shuttles, and recently knitting needles. The Cowlitz also used the wood to make combs. The Skagit used the wood to make arrow shafts. The leaves and flowers can create lather and the Snohomish and Cowlitz used them to cleanse the skin.
Landscape Uses: The shrub has showy and aromatic flowers and has horticulture potential in native plant gardens. Highly adaptable.

Suggested References

Alden, P., D. Paulson. 1998. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Chanticleer Press. Page 118.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 98.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 258.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 142.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 96.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.