Mock Orange

Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius L.), also known as Sweet Mock Orange or English Dogwood, is a deciduous shrub, native to South East Europe and the Caucasus, which reaches a height of 4 metres. Its cultivation as an ornamental plant seems to date back to antiquity. Its magnificent bloom, the sweet scent of its flowers, which resembles orange blossom, and the fact that it roots well and grows fast, have long been highly-valued qualities. However, this species is not mentioned in any of the medieval agricultural treatises of the Al-Andalus and it was not mentioned in European gardens until 1596. In the gardens of Granada, it has been a popular plant since the 19th century. It propagates from cuttings in spring or by layering in summer and at present there are numerous cultivars and varieties. In the Alhambra, its bloom lasts from late April to mid June and gives its gardens a characteristic scent.