Marianne's Response

Why won’t my Mock Orange plants blossom?

I have two Mock Orange plants, which have NEVER bloomed well. They are planted in full sun and I’ve tried severely cutting them back, waited two years and they still won’t bloom. I really love the smell of the flowers and want them to bloom. Is there anything else I can do to encourage them bloom?

Posted by SerenityG on February 8, 2015

Marianne's Response

Not sure where you live but I do know if this plant is exposed to a late spring frost the blooms will be ruined and the plant will not flower. You will have better luck moving your mock orange (also called Philadelphus and there are many varieties, some more compact, some more hardy) to a sheltered location out of the cold wind. The fragrant white flowers are worth the extra work to protect those buds. Another tip is to only prune after the shrub flowers in early summer. Do not prune in the fall as you might be removing the budding branches. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti