Nuttalls Sunflower vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Nuttalls Sunflower vs Lewis Mock Orange

Helianthus nuttallii

Philadelphus lewisii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Nuttalls Sunflower
Lewis Mock Orange

Nuttall’s Sunflower is a native perennial wildflower known for its bright, golden-yellow blooms. Flowering from mid to late summer, it offers a late-season nectar source for various bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while the seeds provide a fall food source for birds. The upright growth habit adds structural height and visual variety to your landscape.

Nuttall’s Sunflower can be found growing in moist to wet meadows, prairies, and open spaces. It can spread quickly via underground rhizomes, making it ideal for large-scale plantings. It is well-suited for naturalization, soil stabilization, riparian zones, and wetland restoration projects. If planting in smaller urban yards or gardens, extra care and maintenance will be required to limit its spread.

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.

Nuttalls Sunflower Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 4a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: 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, colony forming
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low


Flowers: golden yellow, daisy-like
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: late summer to early fall
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: common tall sunflower
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange