Philadelphus Petite Perfume White - Mock Orange

Philadelphus ‘Petite Perfume White’ is a variety of Mock Orange particularly desirable for the intoxicating fragrance of its white flowers. It forms a beautiful bush with fairly fine foliage, of a deep green colour, on which the numerous single flowers stand out remarkably with their dazzling whiteness. Their fragrance fills the garden for a month and a half in late spring. Adapting to most soils, it is very hardy and tolerates urban environments well.

All Philadelphus are deciduous bushes from the Hydrangeaceae family (like Hydrangeas), native to temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, particularly from the Far East and North America. The approximately 60 species that make up this genus were crossed with each other, first in France by Lemoine and Jacques, and then in the United States, with the fragrance of the flowers sometimes being forgotten along the way in favour of more spectacular, more double blooms...
This is not the case with 'Petite Perfume White' which, as its name suggests, captivates with its fragrance. This medium-sized bush reaches a height of 1.50m (5ft) to 2m (7ft) at maturity, with a width of 1.20m (4ft) to 1.50m (5ft). It forms numerous, highly branched stems that extend in all directions. Its leaves are relatively small, about 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) long, lanceolate in shape and pointed at the tip. They are opposite, positioned face to face with the stems, and carried by very short petioles. With a deep to dark green colour, they have clearly visible veins and form a dense mass of vegetation, a large tuft a little taller than wide, with irregular contours and a fairly natural, even somewhat wild appearance.
While the foliage is relatively ornamental, the main asset of this 'Petite Perfume' mock orange is its flowering. From the month of May, depending on the region, simple flowers appear, formed by four petals with rounded and slightly dentate edges. Among the purest white in the Philadelphus genus, the corollas are adorned with a small central bouquet of stamens with yellow tips, which are quite discreet. The fragrance they exude, on the other hand, dominates the garden with its power. For about six weeks, the scent of orange blossom spreads around, enchanting the sense of smell. Medium-sized, 5 to 6cm (2in) in diameter, the flowers are abundantly produced and regularly renewed, sometimes until July.

Well suited for the creation of natural-looking hedges, this bush with romantic charm will also fit perfectly in a shrub border, alongside other varieties that are also easy to grow. To enjoy early-season flowers, combine it with Forsythia 'Mikador', a compact bush covered in gold in March-April, before the first leaves emerge. Create a powerful contrast by planting it with Chaenomeles japonica 'Sargentii', a Japanese Quince that is covered in beautiful salmon-orange flowers in April. Hibiscus syriacus 'Azurii', with its large blue flowers, will take over in summer until September. It can be advantageously accompanied by one or more Lagerstroemia, or Crape Myrtle, with flowers in a variety of colours.