• Photo of Philadelphus inodorus (Philadelphus inodoruss)

Plant Profile: Philadelphus inodorus

Taxonomy: Philadelphus inodorus

Names

Appalachian Mock-orange, Mock Orange

  • Photo of Philadelphus inodorus (Philadelphus inodoruss)

Phonetic Spelling:fil-ah-DEL-fuss in-oh-DUR-us

Genus:Philadelphus

Species:inodorus

Family:Hydrangeaceae

The Appalachian Mock Orange is a deciduous shrub that thrives in forests, woodlands, and rocky outcrops. Indigenous to the eastern and central regions of the United States, it is commonly found in the mountainous areas and Piedmont of North Carolina. This shrub features an upright, rounded form, with branches that tend to arch gracefully as it matures. In the summer, it produces clusters of charming white flowers.

This plant is low-maintenance and versatile, capable of flourishing in various types of well-drained soil. It demonstrates resilience against drought, heat, and humidity. It can be effectively utilized in shrub borders or as a standout specimen in gardens.

Philadelphus inodorus Feature Summary

Philadelphus inodorus Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#deciduous
#drought tolerant
#specimen
#NC native
#native garden
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#humidity tolerant
#food source hard mast fruit
#mammals
#bee friendly
#audubon
#shrub borders

Similar Plants

Philadelphus inodorus Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern and central USA
AL, AR, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KU, LA, MA, MD, MS, MT, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI
Attracts bees.
Perennial
Woody
Attracts Pollinators
Fruit
The fruit is a dry 4-sectioned capsule and splits open when ripe, typically available in June-August.
< 1 inch
Flowers
Flowers bloom April-May and are white in color. The 4-petaled flowers appear in clusters of 3. Each flower has between 60 and 90 stamens.
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
The leaves are opposite, oblong to ovate, sparsely serrated, 2-4 inches long, darker green on top, lighter green on the underside. Although sparse, hairs can be found on the underside of the leaves.
Ovate
Oblong
Entire
Serrate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Bark
Light brown, coarsely shreddy. Older bark is orange-brown.
Light Brown
Orange
Stem
Twigs are slender, light brown to reddish-brown, raised leaf scar, 3 bundle scars, hidden bud.
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Enclosed in more than 2 scales
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Arching
Rounded
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Drought
Heat
Humidity
Naturalized Area
Songbirds
Bees
Small Mammals

Philadelphus inodorus Attributes

Philadelphus inodorus: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern and central USA

Philadelphus inodorus: Distribution

AL, AR, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KU, LA, MA, MD, MS, MT, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI

Philadelphus inodorus: Wildlife Value

Attracts bees.

Philadelphus inodorus: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Philadelphus inodorus: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Philadelphus inodorus: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Philadelphus inodorus Fruit

Philadelphus inodorus: Fruit Description

The fruit is a dry 4-sectioned capsule and splits open when ripe, typically available in June-August.

Philadelphus inodorus: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Philadelphus inodorus: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Philadelphus inodorus: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Philadelphus inodorus: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Philadelphus inodorus Flowers

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Description

Flowers bloom April-May and are white in color. The 4-petaled flowers appear in clusters of 3. Each flower has between 60 and 90 stamens.

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Philadelphus inodorus: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Philadelphus inodorus Leaves

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Description

The leaves are opposite, oblong to ovate, sparsely serrated, 2-4 inches long, darker green on top, lighter green on the underside. Although sparse, hairs can be found on the underside of the leaves.

Philadelphus inodorus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Philadelphus inodorus: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Philadelphus inodorus: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Philadelphus inodorus Bark

Philadelphus inodorus: Bark Description

Light brown, coarsely shreddy. Older bark is orange-brown.

Philadelphus inodorus: Bark Color

grass
Light Brown
grass
Orange

Philadelphus inodorus: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Philadelphus inodorus Stem

Philadelphus inodorus: Stem Description

Twigs are slender, light brown to reddish-brown, raised leaf scar, 3 bundle scars, hidden bud.

Philadelphus inodorus: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Gray/Silver

Philadelphus inodorus: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Philadelphus inodorus: Stem Bud Scales

Enclosed in 2 scales
Enclosed in a single cap like scale
Enclosed in more than 2 scales
No scales, covered in hair

Philadelphus inodorus Whole Plant Traits

Philadelphus inodorus: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Philadelphus inodorus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Philadelphus inodorus: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Philadelphus inodorus: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Philadelphus inodorus Cultural Conditions

Philadelphus inodorus: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Philadelphus inodorus: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Philadelphus inodorus: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Philadelphus inodorus: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Philadelphus inodorus: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Philadelphus inodorus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Philadelphus inodorus: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Philadelphus inodorus Landscape

Philadelphus inodorus: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Philadelphus inodorus: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Philadelphus inodorus: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Philadelphus inodorus: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Philadelphus inodorus: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees