How to Grow Mock Orange: The Complete Guide

When to Plant Mock Orange

Due to availability in the garden center, the usual time for planting mock oranges is springtime after the last frosts have passed. However, like most perennials and shrubs, they can also be planted in early autumn. Aim to have fall plantings in the ground at least four weeks before the frosts come to let them establish before going dormant.

Where to Plant Mock Orange

Mock orange shrubs do well in full sun to partial shade. In the hotter portions of their range, a little less sun or filtered sunlight in the afternoon is beneficial. They’ll survive in heavier shade but can get leggy and bloom less. These easy-care shrubs will do fine in nearly any soil pH. They prefer moist but well-drained soil and will suffer in perpetually wet or poorly drained soils.  

Compact varieties make excellent specimens marking the edge of perennial beds or fences. A pair of mock oranges planted near the door allows you to enjoy their sweet scent and provides a spot for songbirds to sit. As a child on the farm, we had an old planting of mock oranges and wild plums, which had been planted years ago around the power pole. It grew into a thicket of blossoms and buzzing bees, providing endless habitat for songbirds and little critters, and a playspot for me. It was a great spot to choose for hide-and-seek.

Mock oranges not only make great specimens, but they can also make a lovely screen during summer when you’d like a bit more privacy in the yard. They’re perfect for filling in that open spot by the alley, screening the deck, or closing off an area between the garage and the neighbor’s fence. They’re available in large or compact forms to suit any space needs.

How to Plant Mock Orange

Planting mock oranges is easy, and you can stick a pair of them in the ground in only a few minutes. A garden spade, pruners, a hose, and some mulch are all you’ll need. Remember that while a containerized mock orange from the nursery can wait around a bit in its pot, any bareroot stock should be planted as soon as possible while the plant is still dormant. 

For containerized mock orange:  

• Remove the mock orange from its nursery pot by squeezing the edges and lightly collapsing the pot inward. If the plant doesn’t work free, try watering it thoroughly and waiting for half an hour.
• Trim any circling roots and loosen the edges of the rootball. You may need to score the rootball with a knife or trowel.
• Prepare a hole twice the size of the original pot. The hole should have sloping sides like a bowl.
• Set the mock orange in the hole and adjust so the soil level of the plant’s rootball matches or is slightly higher than that of the surrounding ground. Dig or fill in as necessary. Ensure the bottom of the hole is loosened, not compacted.
• Replace the soil you removed, tucking it around the shrub and applying light but firm pressure to eliminate air pockets around the roots.
• Water deeply immediately after planting. If the water runs off, create a little ring of soil around the plant to help hold the water in place while it soaks in.
• Apply a 2-3 inch thick layer of mulch, but avoid piling it up around the stem. 

For bareroot mock oranges:

• Carefully remove the shrub from its packaging and soak the roots in a bucket of clean water for 2-3 hours.
• While the plant is soaking, dig a hole slightly deeper than the roots and at least six inches wider on all sides. You need room to spread the roots out without bending them.
• Test fit the shrub and adjust the hole as necessary. The mock orange should be planted with the crown just at or slightly higher than the surrounding ground level. A stain on the stem often indicates how deep it was grown at the nursery.
• Trim any broken roots, spread them out, and fill in the soil, taking care to keep the shrub upright. Avoid bending roots in a J shape–it’s easy to do at the bottom but will stunt growth.
• Water the newly planted mock orange well, then apply a layer of mulch.