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Philadelphus lewisii
Philadelphus lewisii Pursh
Lewis' Mock Orange, Mock Orange, California Mock Orange
Hydrangeaceae (Hydrangea Family)
Synonym(s): Philadelphus gordonianus, Philadelphus lewisii ssp. gordonianus, Philadelphus lewisii var. angustifolius, Philadelphus lewisii var. ellipticus, Philadelphus lewisii var. gordonianus, Philadelphus lewisii var. helleri, Philadelphus lewisii var. intermedius, Philadelphus lewisii var. oblongifolius, Philadelphus lewisii var. parvifolius, Philadelphus lewisii var. platyphyllus
USDA Symbol: PHLE4
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
A loosely branched shrub, covered in the spring by many white flowers.
Idaho's state flower; when in full bloom the flowers scent the air with a delightfully sweet fragrance reminiscent of orange blossoms. The genus is named for the Egyptian king Ptolemy Philadelphus, and the species name (and one of its common names) honors the scientist-explorer Meriwether Lewis, who first discovered and collected it during his exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. Indians used its straight stems in making arrows.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 12 feet tall.
Leaf: Green
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: CA , ID , MT , OR , WACanada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: British Columbia to central California; east to western Montana.
Native Habitat: Rocky slopes and open banks in open pine woods and mixed woodland.
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Benefit
Warning: Some Phacelia species produce a skin irritation in sensitive people, similar to that of poison oak or poison ivy.Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Bibliography
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 37 - Calscape (2019) California Native Plant Society
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Additional resources
USDA: Find Philadelphus lewisii in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Philadelphus lewisii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Philadelphus lewisii
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-10-20Research By: TWC Staff