Philadelphus, mock orange, is an easy-to-grow shrub that’s indispensable for its clouds of white blossom and its fantastic summer scent. But the drawback has always been its short flowering season – sometimes it’s been and gone in a fortnight. Not any more.
Philadelphus Pearls of Perfume (‘G15097’) is the first
philadelphus variety that flowers on the previous year’s growth, as all philadelphus do, and also on new growth.
The addition of the bud and flower formation on current season’s growth extends the flowering season significantly.
Born in the USA
Developed in Pennsylvania, USA, by plant breeder Rick Grazzini, Rick’s aim in creating new philadelphus has been to produce re-blooming plants that are compact and densely branched, with large sterile strongly scented flowers.
He has also looked for plants that are easy for nurseries to propagate from cuttings and he also aims to build in exceptional cold hardiness as well as disease resistance.
Pearls of Perfume is the result of crossing one of Rick’s own existing seedlings of
Philadelphus x
virginalis with
P. lewisii ‘Snow Velvet’ back in 2011. Plants of each were vernalised (subjected to a cold spell to replicate winter and spark flower formation) and then brought into flower in a greenhouse in late winter for hand pollination.
Pearls of Perfume was selected from seedlings grown from that hand pollination in June 2015.
Philadelphus Pearls of Perfume (‘G15097’) will be available from
Hayloft Plants in 2023.
See also
*Please note, the contents of this blog reflect the views of its author, and do not constitute an official endorsement by the RHS.
