Buttonbush vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Buttonbush vs Lewis Mock Orange

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Philadelphus lewisii

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Buttonbush
Lewis Mock Orange

Buttonbush is a moisture loving shrub that provides year round interest.

It has round, fragrant flowers resembling small buttons or pincushions. The flowers transform into small reddish-brown fruit that persists into winter while the leaves take on shades of red in fall.

Providing essential food to bees, butterflies, and other insects, this shrub is versatile. Try it in your next shrub border.

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.

Buttonbush Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 4a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: large, white, spherical
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange