A Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs variety, Philadelphus Illuminati Spice™ is a native deciduous shrub offering 3 seasons of interest, blooming in early summer. Borne on elegant, arching stems, abundant clusters of large, sweetly fragrant white double flowers add a touch of old-fashioned charm to the garden and perfume the air with a citrusy orange-blossom scent, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. But they also make excellent cut flowers for floral arrangements. The lustrous leaves add color and texture to the garden all season and are often used as foliage filler in floral arrangements.
A Philadelphus coronarius, commonly called mock orange or sweet mock orange, Illuminati Spice is a multistemmed shrub with a compact upright habit. The plant is an excellent specimen or "thriller" in a container garden but is shown to best effect when massed or grouped in mixed beds, borders, or foundation plantings.
A Cold hardy, easy-care shrub, mock orange grows best in sunny to partly sunny locations with organically rich, moist, well-draining soils, but it tolerates a wide range of soils, including clay and alkaline soils, as long as they drain well. Illuminati Spice is drought tolerant and deer resistant. The shrub blooms on old wood, so any desired pruning should be done immediately after flowering.
A native plant, mock orange is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.
