Native Plants
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Philadelphus californicus
Philadelphus californicus Benth.
California Mock Orange, Wild Mock Orange, Syringa
Hydrangeaceae (Hydrangea Family)
Synonym(s): Philadelphus gordonianus var. columbianus, Philadelphus lewisii ssp. californicus
USDA Symbol: PHCA18
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
California Mock Orange is a loosely branched, usually 3-9 ft. shrub with broad, paired leaves and fragrant, white, 2 in. flowers in elongate clusters. Except in flower, the deciduous shrub resembles a lilac bush; and like the lilac, California Mock Orange is not particularly showy out of flower.
This is a variable species; particularly responsive to local ecological conditions.
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 12 feet tall, often shorter.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug
Distribution
USA: CA , ORNative Distribution: B.C. to n. CA Sierras, e. to the Continental Divide in MT
Native Habitat: Rocky slopes & canyons; gullies & watercoarses
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeSoil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Rocky soils.
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Propagation
Description: Easy to propagate from cuttings of not too brittle, young wood taken in mid-July or from seed.Seed Collection: Capsule matures in late summer and seeds are dispursed in September and October. Seeds can be extracted by gently crushing the capsules and separating the seeds in an aspirator.
Seed Treatment: For best germination, seed should be stratified in coarse sand for eight weeks at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 36 - Jepson eFlora (2019) The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley
Additional resources
USDA: Find Philadelphus californicus in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Philadelphus californicus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Philadelphus californicus
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-04-05Research By: TWC Staff