Philadelphus ‘Belle Etoile’
“Mock Orange”

Consult any book on heirloom garden plants & you will certainly find Philadelphus listed prominently, for they are a group of plants that all exude the charm that the term “old fashioned” requires. ‘Belle Etoile’, a hybrid of uncertain parentage from the 1900’s, is one of the most fragrant in the bunch, & has a longer flowering period than others, & a more compact habit. It fills the garden in mid-Spring through mid-Summer with an alluring & far-carrying scent. The flowers are single, & in cooler parts of the country the center is marked in maroon, but here in the temperate Bay Area they are pure white. Going Winter deciduous, ‘Belle Etoile’ makes a large, arching shrub with handsome green leaves & dark stems, to 5’ tall & 6’ wide.

Claire Woods
Propagator