Plant pick: Mock orange has sensational fragrance

Published 3:08 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Belle Etoile philadelphus, a special hybrid of mock orange in bloom now, is beloved for its sensational, spicy fragrance that flows through the garden in midsummer. Its abundant flowers, single and creamy white in color, are about 2 inches across. This deciduous shrub requires full sun and fertile soil for best performance. Compared to other types of mock orange, it is fairly compact, but will typically spread about 5 feet high and 6 feet wide in its first five years. Use it in a mixed border or as an informal screen. It does best with regular summer watering and an annual application of all-purpose fertilizer. Its flowering branches can be cut for decoration. Just strip off the lower leaves, pound the stems and place them in water.

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