Share

Native Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Search native plant database:
Name:    
Family:    

Philadelphus ernestii (Canyon mock orange)
Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Philadelphus ernestii Hu

Canyon mock orange, Canyon Mock-Orange, Mock-orange

Hydrangeaceae (Hydrangea Family)

USDA Symbol: pher

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Small shrub with loose bark on the main stems. Among boulders along streams. Rare and needing protection. Leaves narrowly ovate, up to 1 3/8 inches long by 1/2 inch wide, with smooth margins and 3 prominent veins on the upper surface, the lower surface covered with appressed hairs visible under a l0x hand lens. Flowers white, showy, numerous along the branchlets, opening in April and May. Fruit a capsule shaped like a top, 3/l6 inch long by 3/16 inch wide with 4 remnants of the flower projecting from the midpoint between the tip and the base.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: 3-5 feet
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Apr , May

Distribution

USA: TX
Native Habitat: Rare onrocky cliffs and other well drained sites near wet areas on the Edwards Plateau; endemic
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Conditions Comments: Almost evergreen plant for shaded and protected locations. Flowers smell like orange blossoms making it an excellent plant near outside living areas. Plant 3 to 4 feet apart in well drained soil. Deer browse this shrub so it must be protected.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 354 - Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Philadelphus ernestii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Philadelphus ernestii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Philadelphus ernestii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-08-31
Research By: DEW, JSC

Go back