Philadelphus microphyllus
Littleleaf Mock Orange
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Philadelphus genus in the family Hydrangeaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Hydrangeaceae
- Genus
- Philadelphus
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 1.2 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit[2][5]. Formerly used as food[11]. No more details are given.
- Plant part
- Fruit
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves are rich in saponins, when crushed and mixed with water they produce a lather that is an effective cleaner, used on the body, clothes etc[6]. You can wash your hands by merely picking a couple of leaves or a bunch of blossom, wetting your hands and then rubbing the plant material vigorously as if it was a bar of soap[K]. This soap is a very gentle cleaner that does not remove the body's natural oils, but does remove dirt. It is not very effective against oil[K].
- Product or use
- Soap
Environment
- Range
- Western N. America - Utah and Colorado to California and New Mexico.
- Habitat
- Dry rocky places in sunny rocky canyons and piñon-juniper woodland, 1200 - 3000 metres[12][8].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 6+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best if given 1 months cold stratification[4]. Sow February in a light position in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm long side-shoots, July/August in a shaded frame. Plant out in spring. High percentage[13]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, 15 - 25cm with a heel, December in a sheltered bed outdoors. Fair to good percentage[13]. Layering in summer. Very easy.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Easily grown in any moderately fertile preferably dry soil[8], succeeding in thin soils over chalk and tolerating poor soils[9]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in semi-shade but prefers a position in full sun where it will flower more freely[7][9]. Hardy to about -20°c[8]. Plants grow best in the east and south-east of Britain, they are shy to flower in gardens with cool summers[3]. Plants are very tolerant of pruning, one third of the stems can be cut down to the ground each year in order to promote fresh growth and heavier flowering[10]. A very ornamental plant[1] with aromatic flowers smelling of pineapples[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00