Plant record · Shrub
Is Sweet Mock Orange deer resistant?
Philadelphus coronarius

Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged
Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- Type
- Shrub
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–8
- Light
- Part shade
- Height
- 120–144 in
- Bloom
- Spring and Summer
- Maintenance
- Low
Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.
About Sweet Mock Orange
The scent is the entire reason to grow it, and it is strong enough to fill a garden for two weeks in June. Dull for the rest of the year, so plant it behind something. Flowers on old wood, so prune straight after flowering.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 71 to 94 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Sweet Mock Orange
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
Where Sweet Mock Orange grows
Hardy across 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Common questions about Sweet Mock Orange
- Is Sweet Mock Orange deer resistant?
- Sweet Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Sweet Mock Orange grow in?
- Sweet Mock Orange is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Sweet Mock Orange grow in shade?
- Yes. Sweet Mock Orange tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Sweet Mock Orange get?
- Mature height is roughly 120–144 in. Growth rate is moderate.
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Every list Sweet Mock Orange belongs to.
All shrubs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants