Philadelphus

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Genus of shrubs

title: "Philadelphus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["philadelphus", "cornales-genera", "flora-of-northern-america"] description: "Genus of shrubs" topic_path: "general/philadelphus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of shrubs ::

|name = Mock-orange |image = Philadelphus Belle Étoile1a.UME.jpg |image_caption = Philadelphus × purpureomaculatus, cultivar 'Belle Étoile' |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Philadelphus |authority = L. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = About 60, see text |type_species = Philadelphus coronarius L.

Philadelphus () (mock-orange) is a genus of about 60 species of shrubs from 3–20 ft (1–6 m) tall, native to North America, Central America, Asia and (locally) in southeast Europe.

They are named "mock-orange" in reference to their flowers, which in wild species look somewhat similar to those of oranges and lemons (Citrus) at first glance, and smell of orange flowers and jasmine (Jasminum). But Philadelphus is a basal asterid, not closely related to Jasminum (advanced asterids), and among the eudicots quite distant from Citrus (advanced rosids). An entirely misleading name for Philadelphus that is sometimes encountered is syringa; this properly refers to the lilacs, which are fairly close relatives of jasmine. The connection of the two shrubs lies in their introduction from Ottoman gardens to European ones, effected at the same time by the Holy Roman emperor's ambassador to the Sublime Porte, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, who returned to Vienna in 1562. The two shrubs appear together in John Gerard's Herball, as "Blew Pipe" (the lilac) and "White Pipe Tree", for the woods of both are pithy and easily hollowed out.

Philadelphus is named after an ancient Greek king of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

Description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Philadelphus_shrub.jpg" caption="Flowering [[Lewis's Mock-orange]] (''Philadelphus lewisii'') in [[habitat"] ::

Most are deciduous but a few species from the south of the genus' range are evergreen. The leaves are opposite, simple, with serrated margins, from 0.5-6 inches (1–14 cm) long. The flowers are white, with four petals and sepals, 0.5-2 inches (1–4 cm) diameter, and commonly (but not in all species) sweetly scented. The fruit is a small capsule, containing numerous small seeds. The bark is thin and flaky, finely shredding in longitudinal strips.

Ecology

Mock-oranges are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia). A noted pathogen of the sweet mock-orange (P. coronarius) is the undescribed proteobacterium called "Pseudomonas tomato" (pv. philadelphi).

Cultivation

For a long time, Philadelphus coronarius was the only mock-orange of gardens, though some adventurous Americans grew the native P. inodorus that Mark Catesby had discovered growing on the banks of the Savannah River. It appeared in Lady Skipwith's garden lists and George Washington ordered some from Bartram in 1792. Mock-oranges are popular shrubs in parks and gardens, grown for their reliable display of late spring flowers; the scented species are particularly valued. In addition to the species, there are numerous garden origin hybrids and cultivars available, selected for doubleness and large flowers, with some compromise as to scent.

AGM cultivars

The following hybrid cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-

  • 'Aureus' (P. coronarius){{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/98429/i-Philadelphus-coronarius-i-Aureus/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus' | accessdate = 24 April 2018}}
  • 'Beauclerk'
  • 'Belle Étoile'
  • 'Innocence'{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/66243/i-Philadelphus-i-Innocence-(v)/Details | title = RHS Plantfinder - Philadelphus 'Innocence' | accessdate = 24 April 2018}}
  • 'Manteau d'Hermine'
  • 'Sybille'
  • 'Variegatus' (P. coronarius)

In culture

Lewis' mock-orange (P. lewisii) is the state flower of Idaho.

"Mock orange" is one of the most famous poems by the Nobel Prize winning poet Louise Glück.

Selected species

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Philadephus_karwinskianus1FKST.jpg" caption="[[Mexican evergreen mock-orange]], ''[[Philadelphus karwinskyanus]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Philadelphus_satsumi2.jpg" caption="[[Japanese mock-orange]], ''[[Philadelphus laxus]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Philadelphus_pubescens.jpg" caption="[[Hoary mock-orange]], ''[[Philadelphus pubescens]]''"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Philadelphus_schrenkii_2.jpg" caption="Schrenk's mock-orange, ''[[Philadelphus schrenkii]]''"] ::

Asia

Europe

North America

Pancontinental hybrids

References

References

  1. ''Philadelphus''. International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2024, from https://www.ipni.org/n/30007321-2
  2. ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607
  3. (2 October 2014). "State Symbols USA: Idaho State Flower".
  4. Alice M. Coats, ''Garden Plants and Their Histories'' (1964) 1992, ''s.v.'' "Philadelphus".
  5. Ann Leighton, ''American Gardens of the Eighteenth Century: 'ForUse or for Delight' '', 1976, ''s.v.'' "Mock-orange", "Philadelphus".
  6. (July 2017). "AGM Plants - Ornamental". Royal Horticultural Society.
  7. "RHS Plant Selector - ''Philadelphus'' 'Beauclerk'".
  8. "RHS Plant Selector - ''Philadelphus'' 'Belle Étoile'".
  9. "RHS Plant Selector - ''Philadelphus'' 'Manteau d'Hermine'".
  10. "RHS Plant Selector - ''Philadelphus'' 'Sybille'".
  11. "RHS Plantfinder - ''Philadelphus coronarius'' 'Variegatus'".
  12. "State Emblems of Idaho".
  13. "Mock Orange".
  14. (2015). "English Names for Korean Native Plants". [[Korea National Arboretum]].
  15. [https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?PHCO25 ''Philadelphus confusus'' Piper. Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange for California Floristics]
  16. [https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?Philadelphus+cordifolius&expand=1 ''Philadelphus cordifolius'' Lange. Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange for California Floristics]
  17. [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:792196-1 ''Philadelphus coulteri'' S.Watson. This species is accepted, and its native range is NE. Mexico (to Veracruz). Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]
  18. [http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/792267-1 ''Philadelphus microphyllus'' A.Gray. This species is accepted, and its native range is W. Central & SW. U.S.A. to N. Mexico. Plants of the World Online.]

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