Twinflower vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Twinflower vs Lewis Mock Orange

Philadelphus lewisii

Linnaea borealis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Lewis Mock Orange
Twinflower

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.

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.

Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.

Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Twinflower Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 2a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low


Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: fragrant, white
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Bloom time: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells