Philadelphus lewisii
Encyclopedia
Philadelphus lewisii is a deciduous
shrub
native to western North America
, from northwestern California
in the Sierra Nevada, north to southern British Columbia
, and east to Idaho
and Montana
. It is widespread but not terribly common, usually appearing as an individual plant amongst other species. It was discovered by Meriwether Lewis
in 1806.
The shrub is rounded and grows to 1.5-3 m in height. It sends out long stems which are red when new and fade to gray with age, the bark shredding in small flakes. The opposite leaves vary in size across individual plants but they are usually oval, 3-5 cm long, smooth or serrated along the edges, and light green in color with a rough texture. The flower
s are produced in clusters at the ends of long stems, with four white petals 5-40 mm long and numerous yellow stamen
s. At the height of flowering, the plant is covered in a mass of blossoms. The flowers have a heavy, sweet scent similar to orange blossoms
with a hint of pineapple
. The fruit
is a small hard capsule
1 cm long with woody, pointed wings, containing many brown 2.5-3 mm long seeds.
Native American tribes used P. lewisii for numerous purposes. The hard wood was useful for making hunting and fishing tools, snowshoes, pipes, and furniture. The leaves and bark, which contain saponin
s, were mixed in water for use as a mild soap.
Other names include "wild mock-orange" (though this can apply to any species in the genus), and "Syringa", a confusing name as it usually refers to the unrelated lilac
s.
P. lewisii is the state flower of Idaho
.
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
native to western North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, from northwestern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the Sierra Nevada, north to southern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and east to Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. It is widespread but not terribly common, usually appearing as an individual plant amongst other species. It was discovered by Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
in 1806.
The shrub is rounded and grows to 1.5-3 m in height. It sends out long stems which are red when new and fade to gray with age, the bark shredding in small flakes. The opposite leaves vary in size across individual plants but they are usually oval, 3-5 cm long, smooth or serrated along the edges, and light green in color with a rough texture. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are produced in clusters at the ends of long stems, with four white petals 5-40 mm long and numerous yellow stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. At the height of flowering, the plant is covered in a mass of blossoms. The flowers have a heavy, sweet scent similar to orange blossoms
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
with a hint of pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a small hard capsule
Capsule (fruit)
In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...
1 cm long with woody, pointed wings, containing many brown 2.5-3 mm long seeds.
Native American tribes used P. lewisii for numerous purposes. The hard wood was useful for making hunting and fishing tools, snowshoes, pipes, and furniture. The leaves and bark, which contain saponin
Saponin
Saponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species...
s, were mixed in water for use as a mild soap.
Other names include "wild mock-orange" (though this can apply to any species in the genus), and "Syringa", a confusing name as it usually refers to the unrelated lilac
Lilac
Syringa is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering woody plants in the olive family , native to woodland and scrub from southeastern Europe to eastern Asia, and widely and commonly cultivated in temperate areas elsewhere....
s.
Cultivation
Lewis's Mock-orange prefers full sun to partial sun. It is drought-tolerant and will grow in poor soils, and provides a landscape with flashy flowers and a fruity scent.P. lewisii is the state flower of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
.