woodland shrub

Lewis' mock orange

Philadelphus lewisii

Also known as Mock Orange, California Mock Orange

Native to California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington and southern Canada

British Columbia to central California; east to western Montana.

Light Full sun to part shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moisture preference
Zones 3–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom May–Jul Flowering time
Height up to 12 ft to 3.7 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A woodland shrub for full sun to part shade. Its white flowers peak in June. At up to 12 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 3–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Lewis' mock orange's white flowers bloom May to July, peaking in June. This early-summer display draws butterflies and bees.

Lewis' mock orange blooms whiteFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Butterflies Western Tiger Swallowtail

also Pale Swallowtail, Two-tailed Swallowtail, Behr's Hairstreak +3 more
Yellow Admiral, Strymon saepium, Mitoura gryneus
Bees Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble bee also Prunus Miner Bee, Osmia trevoris
Flower flies Thick-legged Hover Fly also Black-margined Flower Fly
Also visited by
- Beetles: Dimorphic Flower Longhorn Beetle
- Moths: Euclidia ardita

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington and southern CanadaUnited States (5): CA, ID, MT, OR, WA. Canada (2): AB, BC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: British Columbia to central California; east to western Montana.The same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to part shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Hardiness zones: USDA 3–10 · Canadian 1–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 7.0–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: LowHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 12 ft (to 3.7 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 6+ in (15+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: May–JulWhen it flowers.
Flower color: WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Apr–NovThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: Poisonous if eatenWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~8 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.