Capilano Apricot vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Capilano Apricot vs Lewis Mock Orange

Prunus Capilano

Philadelphus lewisii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Capilano Apricot
Lewis Mock Orange

Capilano Apricot is a cold-hardy variety known for its sweet, juicy, full-flavored fruit. It produces white to pink blooms in early spring, before the leaves emerge, followed by golden-yellow, freestone apricots. They ripen from mid-July to early August and are well-suited for fresh eating, baking, wine, canning, and preserves.

The Capilano Apricot originated from three trees planted in Edmonton’s Capilano neighbourhood during the 1960s. As they began producing fruit, local fruit enthusiasts took notice and propagated the trees, with the southernmost becoming particularly popular. Though the original trees no longer exist, the Capilano Apricot remains a widely sought-after cold-hardy variety.

Capilano Apricot is generally considered self-pollinating, but planting with another variety for cross-pollination can increase yields.

Note: The early bloom time makes the flowers vulnerable to spring frosts, which can reduce or eliminate the fruit crop

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.

Capilano Apricot Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 4a
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: spreading to rounded
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - low
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low


Flowers: white to pink
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early spring
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Fruit: freestone apricots
Fruit size: 5cm in diameter
Flavor: sweet, slightly tart
Harvest: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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