Pruning a Mock Orange

[HeelsDown]

Last post for today...promise!

We have a mock orange in our garden that is about 15-20 feet high. It blossomed quite prettily this past spring/summer and now I'm wondering if it should be pruned in any way for next year? Or maybe just to help it out...it's not a uniform height...one or two branches are 15 feet, once branch is about 5, then another could be 3. Some look like they are completely dead while most of the other branches still have leaves on them.

Better to leave alone or give it a helping hand?

A few pics of it in the early summer...it's the tree beside the wooden arbour. I can get close up's if needed probably - if I can fit the entire thing in my phone camera view lol!

https://picasaweb.google.com/schmenn/Pi ... directlink

Thanks again...you all rock!!
Jenn

[thistle]

Mock Orange should be pruned after flowering it will bloom on new growth next Year.I have an enormous Mock Orange and it was loaded with blooms this year after a hard pruning last year,the smell is sooo divine,I love this Shrub.

[orchidguy]

Thistle is absolutely right. Prune right after flowering, but in my experience, some of the double cultivars ( Philidelphus Snowbelle, Blizzard, Virginal, Snowwhite Fantasy and Manteau d'Hermine) when pruned heavily, do not flower for me the following year, so I tend to prune these lightly. The mock oranges were one of the few shrubs that actually bloomed well this year with the drought and heat.

[HeelsDown]

Does that mean I should not do it this year since it finished flowering a month or so ago? I have no idea what variety it is so is it safer to prune light or heavy when I do?

How would I prune it...there is no uniform shape as I mentioned so any guidance is appreciated. I don't to kill it. As you both mention, it smells SO nice and it is one of the few things in my garden that bloomed well this year as well!

Thanks you two!
Jenn

[orchidguy]

Jenn,
I would just leave it this year, and after it blooms next season, I would trim at least a third off this shrub.
Once your shrub is pruned and it starts to fill out, your blooms wont be as sparce as indicated in your pics. The ones here get so full of bloom, it tends to hide all the foliage with its masses of white petals

[hotsummerone]

Unlike Orange？

[orchidguy]

Unlike Orange？

I think they are called Mock Orange because the blooms look similar to citrus blossoms and have a bit of the same fragrance (in my opinion they smell like a combination of orange blossom and jasmine)

[HeelsDown]

Thanks Dan! I'll leave it for now and trim it back next year. I hope it's okay actually - was walking around my yard on the weekend and noticed something has been eating the leaves leaving holes in them that are edged in brown. Just a bad summer for bugs, it's seeming...hope it gets cold this winter so next year isn't so awful.

Jenn

[RubyTuesday49]

Argh! My Mock Orange bloomed so heavily this year (#2) I was amazed! I didn't realize one should prune it after flowering! Thanks for the info - I guess I will leave it for this year and just make sure to to it next year after it blooms!

[HeelsDown]

Argh! My Mock Orange bloomed so heavily this year (#2) I was amazed! I didn't realize one should prune it after flowering! Thanks for the info - I guess I will leave it for this year and just make sure to to it next year after it blooms!

We'll remind each other next year lol!

At least you knew yours was a Mock Orange! When we moved in about a year and a half ago now, I nearly hacked it down and took it out b/c it was in the way of the washline. Didn't know what it was...saw a blossom and it smelled like something I remembered from childhood. Then, found this amazing site and found out what it was. Thank goodness I was saved from myself LOL!

Jenn