Western Chokecherry vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Western Chokecherry vs Lewis Mock Orange

Prunus virginiana var. demissa

Philadelphus lewisii

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Western Chokecherry
Lewis Mock Orange

Western Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree commonly used for farmstead and field windbreaks.

It produces white flowers in the spring and edible dark purple fruit that matures between September and October. Its cherries are great for making for making jams, jellies or wine, but are not very palatable for raw eating.

Lewis Mock Orange is a flowering ornamental shrub that produces an abundance of white, fragrant blooms. The flowers have a sweet scent similar to orange blossoms, with a hint of pineapple. They bloom for several weeks from late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Native to North America, Lewis Mock Orange is found from the southernmost portions of Alberta and British Columbia, and south into the northwestern United States. It makes an attractive shrub and can be used in hedgerows, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects. Blooms occur on the previous year’s wood, so it is recommended to prune after it has finished flowering.

Western Chokecherry Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 7 m (23 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: low

Toxicity: toxic to horses, cattle, etc.)

Fall colour: reddish-purple
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Berries: edible, astringent, red-purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: bitter-berry, chokecherry, common chokecherry, virginia bird berry
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange