Philadelphus (x) virginalis Minnesota Snowflake

The Philadelphus x virginalis Minnesota Snowflake is a vigorous, floriferous, and fragrant hybrid mock orange bush that will be wonderful in a loose hedge. This large deciduous bush produces an abundance of white, double flowers in late spring that perfume a whole area of the garden. Its well-branched vegetation will perfectly fulfill its role as a screen in spring and summer. Rediscover mock oranges, they are simple but very robust bushes that have no specific requirements. They find their place in every garden, from lowland to mountain, from north to south of our country!

The genus Philadelphus belongs to the hydrangea family. The variety 'Minnesota Snowflake' is a horticultural hybrid obtained in the USA by Guy Bush around 1935 from a sowing of Philadelphus virginalis. It is a bush of beautiful stature and fairly rapid growth, with strong and well-branched vegetation. At maturity, around 10 years old, it reaches a height of 3m (9 ft 10 in) and a spread of 2.50m (8 ft 2 in), depending on the growing conditions. It flowers in May-June, for about 3 weeks, with a very beautiful floral fragrance. Each double flower, 4 cm (1.6 in) wide, is composed of numerous white-cream petals, but devoid of stamens. They are gathered in small clusters of 3 to 6 on one-year-old slightly drooping branches, forming a somewhat disordered but charming mass. The deciduous foliage appears in spring, its colour is a fairly light and bright green. The leaves are entire, oval-shaped with pointed tips, slightly dentate along the edges. They measure about 5 cm (2 in) long and turn yellow in autumn before falling.

Philadelphus, sometimes called mock orange, are robust and perfectly hardy bushes that thrive in all types of soil. They resist everything, even summer droughts, but they prefer a certain freshness at their base. The 'Minnesota Snowflake' mock orange is well suited for the composition of large shrub beds or flowering hedges, whether pruned or not. For example, associate it with lilacs, apple trees, and flowering cherry trees, buddleias, and other smoke bushes, for example.