Philadelphus coronarius (Sweet mock-orange)
Philadelphus coronarius (sweet mock-orange, English dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangaceae, native to Southern Europe. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 3 m (10 ft) tall by 2.5 m (8 ft) wide, with toothed leaves and bowl-shaped white flowers with prominent stamens. In the species the blooms are abundant and very fragrant, but less so in the cultivars. It may resemble, but is not related to varieties of the similarly named dogwood, which is the common name for Cornus in the family Cornaceae.
| Sweet mock-orange | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Cornales |
| Family: | Hydrangeaceae |
| Genus: | Philadelphus |
| Species: | P. coronarius |
Cultivation
It is a popular ornamental plant for gardens in temperate regions, valued for its profuse sweetly scented white blossom in early summer. There are a large number of named cultivars. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-
- P. coronarius 'Aureus'
- P. coronarius 'Variegatus'