Q: I have a bush in my yard that produces dogwood-tree type flowers in the spring.

The elderly lady who propagated it years ago told me that it is an English dogwood. I’d like to know about pruning and fertilizing, especially.

A: You have a mockorange, Philadelphus coronarius. It grows into a large shrub, 8 – 10 feet tall with lots of stiff, upright branches. The fragrant flowers of spring draw attention to it but it is relatively nondescript for the rest of the year.

The plant rarely needs pruning except to remove dead branches. It doesn’t require much fertilizer after maturity. Throw a handful of 10-10-10 on it every couple of years.

see Sweet Mock Orange

Mockorange Sawfly Identification