Fireweed vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Fireweed vs Lewis Mock Orange

Chamaenerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium)

Philadelphus lewisii

CUSTOM GROW

Fireweed
Lewis Mock Orange

Fireweed is a native perennial wildflower known for its tall spikes of bright pink to purple blooms. Its long-lasting summer flowers are an important nectar source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, while its seeds provide food for birds. Its showy, long-lasting display makes it visually striking in naturalized plantings.

Fireweed gets its namesake because it is often one of the first species to return after wildfires, supporting ecosystem recovery. Its wind-dispersed seeds allow it to spread readily, making it highly effective in large-scale restoration, revegetation, and naturalization projects.
Fireweed is the Provincial Flower of the Yukon.

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.

Fireweed Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

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Zone: 1a
Zone: 4a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, dense, colony-forming
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - high
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: pink-purple spikes
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid summer to fall
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: fire weed, great willowherb, rosebay willowherb, willow herb
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange