Q. We planted a mock orange in the south-east corner of the house three years ago. It gets sun until late afternoon. Although it has grown to over six feet and looks very healthy, it has never bloomed or shown signs of bud. It has not been pruned other than an occasional munching by deer. Can you tell us what’s wrong and how to encourage it to bloom. M. M. Crettol – Olympia, WA
A. I will assume that you are talking about the Mock Orange of the Genus Philadelphus since there are some other genera that use this common name. Most Mock Oranges have wonderfully fragrant flowers so I can see why you would be anxious. These plants bloom on old wood. This means that the flower buds form the year before they bloom. So there is a chance that the deer browsing is removing flower buds and this is why it has not bloomed. Protecting the plant from browsing is one way to see if this is the problem. There is also the chance that it has not started blooming. There are straight species and hybrids (usually between species) of Mock Orange commercially available. The hybrids tend to bloom at a younger age than the straight species – sometimes in the container. So it is possible you have a straight species, in which case you would just have to be patient. The southeast exposure you mention should allow for the shrub to get enough light unless other trees obstruct them. Too much shade could also reduce or prevent flowering. Sometimes high soil fertility can also keep some mock oranges in a vegetative state since they are usually native to lower fertility rocky-scrubby slopes.