How to Treat a Mock Orange Tree for Winter
The mock orange is a deciduous flowering shrub that is native to Europe, according to the University of Illinois. It grows in full sun with well-drained, moist soil, and it can handle alkaline soil. Hardy to USDA Zones 4 through 8, the mock orange grows to about 10 to 12 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide. It flowers in the spring with white or pink blooms, depending on the variety. Come winter, this shrub will need some protecting if you live in a cold area.
Prune the mock orange in late summer. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased foliage. Allow the rest of the leaves to die back naturally during the fall.
- The mock orange is a deciduous flowering shrub that is native to Europe, according to the University of Illinois.
- Come winter, this shrub will need some protecting if you live in a cold area.
Water the mock orange well before the ground freezes. Keep the ground wet but not soaking until it freezes over for the winter. According to the University of Minnesota, wet ground is warmer than dry ground and will help protect the shrub from the cold.
Mulch around the base of the mock orange. Place a 4 to 5 inch layer of mulch around the base of shrub before the ground freezes. This will help keep the mock orange’s roots warm during the cold winter months.
Cover the mock orange shrub with a sheet on the coldest nights. Drape the sheet over the shrub in the evening and remove it early the next morning.
- Water the mock orange well before the ground freezes.
Prune A Mock Orange Tree
Assess the health of the mock orange shrub before you decide how much to prune. If the foliage looks full and healthy on an established bush, the pruning can be light. Prune away dead branches with sharp pruning shears. Remove any stems that appear to be dying or diseased, or are infested with any kind of pest. Cut unhealthy-looking mock orange shrubs to the ground, leaving approximately 1 to 2 inches of stem poking out of the ground. The result is a thicker, fuller bush. Renewal pruning can be done each year to control fast-growing, larger varieties of the bush.
- Assess the health of the mock orange shrub before you decide how much to prune.
- Renewal pruning can be done each year to control fast-growing, larger varieties of the bush.
Warning
Do not fertilize your mock orange late in the summer or during the fall. The shrub needs to slow its growth and prepare for winter.
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References
Warnings
- Do not fertilize your mock orange late in the summer or during the fall. The shrub needs to slow its growth and prepare for winter.
Writer Bio
Hollan Johnson is a freelance writer and contributing editor for many online publications. She has been writing professionally since 2008 and her interests are travel, gardening, sewing and Mac computers. Prior to freelance writing, Johnson taught English in Japan. She has a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.
