Mock orange vs Ninebark

Mock orange and Ninebark are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers, screening, hedge, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Mock orange

Philadelphus coronarius 2.5 m × 2 m after 10 years

A large, upright then arching deciduous shrub grown for its white, intensely sweet-scented flowers in late May and June: plant it near a patio or seat…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 23

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius 2.5 m × 2 m after 10 years

An undemanding, fast-growing deciduous shrub with arching branches, rounded clusters of white or pinkish flowers in May and June and reddish, inflated…

Shrub

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 23

Key differences

Ninebark tolerates drought better than Mock orange.

Which one to choose?

Ninebark is the better choice if you cannot water regularly.

Watch out for

Mock orange

Black aphids often crowd the shoot tips in spring and early summer, curling the leaves and leaving the shoots sticky; it looks bad but rarely weakens the shrub seriously. Powdery mildew, leaf spot, rust and canker also occur. Cutting it back in autumn or spring removes the next year's flowers. Left unpruned it becomes bare at the base and outgrows its place: take out some of the oldest stems at ground level after flowering. It needs watering in prolonged summer drought.

Ninebark

Powdery mildew is the most common problem: a white coating on the shoot tips, mainly on dark-leaved cultivars and where the shrub stands crowded, airless or too shaded. Give it air and cut out infected tips. As a member of the rose family it can also catch fireblight, and leaf spots and cankers turn up occasionally. On shallow, very chalky soil the leaves can turn yellow.

The data side by side

Feature	Mock orange	Ninebark
Group	Shrub	Shrub
Size after 10 years	2.5 m × 2 m (uncertain)	2.5 m × 2 m
Ultimate size	3–4 m × 2.5–4 m	1.5–3 m × 1.2–3 m
Growth rate	Fast	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -45 °C (USDA 2, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	Medium
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, white	May–June, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	High
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	150 cm	150 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
Typical price	approx. PLN 23	approx. PLN 23

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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