Finding the Perfect Mock Orange Bush for Your Landscape

The mock orange bush is a popular ornamental shrub known for its attractive spring blooms and sweet fragrance. If you’re looking to add one of these versatile plants to your yard, you may be wondering where to find mock orange bushes for sale near you. Nurseries, garden centers, and online retailers offer a nice selection, but knowing what to look for will help you pick the right mock orange variety to suit your specific needs.

A Brief Overview of Mock Orange Bushes

Before discussing where to find and purchase mock oranges, let’s review some basics about these great landscape shrubs.

• There are over 60 species in the Philadelphus genus, most native to North America, Europe, and Asia.

• The common name “mock orange” comes from the fact that their white blooms resemble orange blossoms in both appearance and scent.

• Bloom time is late spring to early summer depending on variety. Flowers are single, semi-double, or fully double

• Mock oranges are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and tolerate a range of soil conditions.

• Mature size ranges from 2-10 feet tall and wide depending on the variety More compact types work well in smaller yards.

• Most mock oranges flower best in full sun but will tolerate some afternoon shade

Where to Find Mock Orange Bushes For Sale

Now that you know a bit about mock orange shrubs, here are some of the best places to find them available for purchase:

Local Nurseries and Garden Centers

• Independent nurseries and local garden centers are great places to view plants firsthand before buying.

• You can often find a good selection of mock orange varieties from leading growers like Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice®.

• Staff expertise can help you select the right mock orange for your specific growing conditions and landscape needs.

• Buying locally means less transplant shock for plants since they don’t have to be shipped.

Big Box Stores

• Retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s stock mock orange shrubs, especially in spring and early summer.

• Look for well-known varieties like ‘Natchez’, ‘Snowbelle’, and ‘Snowflake’ that are proven performers.

• Big box prices are often very competitive with other outlets.

• You may find a smaller selection than a dedicated nursery would offer.

Online Shrub Retailers

• Websites like Nature Hills Nursery, Brighter Blooms, and Spring Hill Nursery sell mock orange bushes online.

• Online buying allows you to access a huge variety of mock orange cultivars.

• Make sure to review shipping costs and planting guarantee policies.

• Order early in the growing season before stock sells out.

Mail Order Nurseries

• Reputable mail order nurseries like Gurney’s, Stark Bro’s, and Valleybrook Gardens carry mock orange shrubs.

• Browse catalogs or websites to view color photos and detailed plant descriptions before ordering.

• Mail order plants are shipped at the proper planting time for your area.

• Be aware that you don’t get to see the actual plant before buying when ordering by mail.

What to Look for When Buying a Mock Orange Bush

To pick the best mock orange bush for your needs, consider these factors:

• Mature size – Check tag or description for expected height and width at maturity. Choose a variety that fits your available space.

• Bloom time – Early, mid, or late season flowering. Pick a bloom time that complements other plants.

• Flower form – Single, semi-double, or fully double blooms. Double flowers tend to be showiest.

• Fragrance – Degree of orange blossom scent, from light to very sweetly fragrant.

• Foliage – Color and leaf properties like variegation, glossiness, or purple tint.

• Habit – Spreading, mounded, upright, arching, weeping. Look for a form that suits your design needs.

• Hardiness – Ensure the mock orange is rated for your planting zone.

• Soil and light – Check requirements match your site conditions.

By taking stock of these characteristics and selecting a variety tailored for your yard, you’ll end up with a mock orange shrub that thrives and reaches its full potential.

Top Mock Orange Varieties to Consider

Here are some excellent mock orange bush options to look for that combine great beauty, performance, and availability:

• Snowbelle® – Pure white double blooms with a sweet scent on a compact (5-7 ft) plant.

• Snowflake Double White – Fully double, long-lasting white flowers. Grows 6-8 ft tall and wide.

• Natchez – Semidouble blooms and an upright, arching form (8-10 ft). One of the most fragrant.

• Miniature Snowflake® – The dwarf grower of the group at just 3-5 ft tall and wide. Profuse small double blooms.

• Silver Showers – Abundant single white flowers on arching branches that weep at the tips (6-8 ft).

Caring for Your New Mock Orange Bush

Once you’ve selected and planted your new mock orange shrub, provide care to keep it looking its best:

• Water weekly for the first season to promote deep root establishment.

• Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around the base to help retain soil moisture and reduce weeds.

• Prune immediately after flowering by selectively removing around one-third of the oldest branches all the way to the ground.

• Fertilize each spring using a balanced organic or slow-release product.

• Monitor for common pests like aphids, spider mites, or scale insects and treat any found promptly.

With the proper variety selection for your growing conditions and ongoing care, the mock orange you choose will reward you with years of delightfully fragrant spring blooms. Scout local nurseries, garden centers, or reputable online sellers to find an abundance of mock orange bush options ready to enhance your landscape.

More Tips for Successfully Planting Mock Orange Bushes

• When planting multiple mock orange shrubs together, space them 2-3 feet apart to allow for future growth and airflow.

• For the brightest blooms, provide the plants with full sun. However, they will flower fairly well with 4-6 hours of sun daily.

• To extend the display of flowers, plant early, mid, and late season blooming mock orange varieties together.

• Use mock orange bushes as flowering hedges, foundation plantings, specimens in island beds, or for accenting entries and walkways.

• For small yards, miniature varieties like the aptly named Miniature Snowflake® are excellent choices reaching just 3-5 feet tall and wide.

• The sweet orange blossom fragrance of mock orange blooms carries well, so plant where the scent can be enjoyed up close.

• Remove spent flowers regularly to promote additional flushes of rebloom through early summer.

• Incorporate organic compost into the soil when planting mock oranges to provide nutrients for good establishment.

• For container growing, select a compact variety suited to pots and be diligent about watering as the smaller soil volume dries out faster.

• To rejuvenate old mock orange shrubs, cut all branches back to 12-18 inches above the ground in early spring to foster vigorous new growth.

Bring Sweetly Fragrant Blossoms to Your Yard

Few flowering shrubs can compare with mock oranges when it comes to providing billowing drifts of beautifully scented spring flowers in the garden. Take time to seek out the ideal variety for your specific needs, properly prepare the planting site, and provide attentive care after planting. With mock orange gracing your landscape, you’ll be greeted each spring with a delightful floral display and an evocative citrus perfume.