Philadelphus coronarius (sweet mock orange, English dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Southern Europe.

Description

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.[1] It may resemble, but is not closely related to, varieties of the similarly named dogwood, which is the common name for Cornus in the family Cornaceae.

The specific epithet coronarius means "used for garlands".[2]

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'[3]
  • P. coronarius 'Variegatus'[4]

Gallery

  • Shrub
    Shrub
  • Shrub
    Shrub
  • Leaf
    Leaf
  • Leaf
    Leaf
  • Flowers
    Flowers
  • Botanical illustration
    Botanical illustration

See also

References

  1. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  2. ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
  3. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus'". Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  4. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Philadelphus coronarius 'Variegatus'". Retrieved 25 May 2013.[permanent dead link]

External links