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Plant Identification Guide
Lewis’ mock orange Philadelphus lewisii
Also Known As: Wild mock orange
Plant Family: Hydrangea (Hydrangeaceae)
Did you know? The genus name comes from Egyptian king Ptolemy
Philadelphus (309-247 BC), and the species name honors Meriwether Lewis, who
first described the shrub along the Bitterroot River. It is a popular ornamental
shrub in temperate climates due to its intense fragrance similar to orange
trees. Poulticed or powdered leaves have been used for medicinal or culinary
purposes, while the wood has been used for snowshoes and tools/weapons.
Identification Hints
This is a shrub/small tree with
opposite, pointed leaves with
three prominent veins, small
tough branches in contrast to
coarser textured serviceberries and
chokecherries. Old woody capsules
often persist through the winter
and split into 4 open valves, which
distinguishes them from most other
native shrubs. The fragrant flowers 4
petals have a distinct cross shape.
The European mock-orange (P.
coronarius) is often planted. It can
be a large tree (over 10 ft high), with
long leaves on flowering shoots (2
to 3 in long vs. ¾ to 1 ½ in for Lewis’)
and peeling off bark on last year’s
twigs. There are many other native
mock-orange species. Lewis’ mock
orange is unique in having hairless
sepals, and very dense clusters of
flowers, usually at least 5 to 11 flowers
per shoot.
Plant Description
Perennial, deciduous shrub 3 to 10 ft
(1 to 3 m) in height.
Leaves: Leaf arrangement is
opposite, leaf shape is generally
oval-shaped and 0.79 to 3.15 in (2 to 8
cm) long by 0.79 to 1.57 in (2 to 4 cm)
wide, glabrous (smooth) to hairy. Each
leaf bears three main veins from the
base, leaf edges range from smooth to
toothed.
Comments
Flowers: Flowers can appear in clusters
of 3 to 11 at tips of branches. Generally
0.79 to 1.18 in (2 to 3 cm) wide with 4 to
5 white-ivory, round or notched petals
and 4 to 5 sepals (petal-like structures).
Flower centers contain 25 to 40 yellow
stamens. Fragrance similar to orange
blossoms. Flowers bloom May to July.
Fruits: Lewis’ mock orange has fruits
that are capsules. The capsules are small
and hard, with woody pointed wings
and are about 1 cm long.
Bark: Red-brown, aging gray, peeling
as narrow strips or narrow rectangles;
twigs glabrous (smooth) to hairy.
Habitat: This plant likes full sun to part
shade, well-drained areas, particularly
along streams and in rocky slopes and
open banks. It is often found in moist
or rocky slopes, ravines, grasslands,
thickets and open woodlands, generally
at 7000 ft (2100 m). Oak or pine
woodland.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database
Photo courtesy of Mrs. W.D. Bransford, Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center
budburst.org
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