Topic: Mystery Bush - [Solved] Mock Orange

[Jim]

Here's a bush out by Aunt Bonnie's pool that Dianna wanted me to take a few shots of to see if anyone knows what it is.  I think Dianna and Bonnie were calling it a snowball bush, but I think that is because that's what it looks like.  When the blooms start to let go, the ground turns white under it.

[Tina]

Very pretty. I have no idea. Do the flowers have fragrance?

[Penny]

We have snowball bushes here and thats not what they look like, here anyway.
I used to have a Orange Blossom tree and thats what i first thought of when i saw the picture....but i could be wrong.
Any other guess's?

[Patty S]

There was a snowball bush at the house we had before we moved here.  Your long shot photos look like what I know a snowball bush to look like, but the close-ups don't look anything like what I remember the blossoms to be, cuz mine had smooth edges... not fringed like these.

[jv]

Does this look anything like your blooms?





If so it would be an Althea which is a cousin to Hibiscus aka Rose of Sharon. This does not look like what I always was told a snowball bush was.

Viburnum opulus is  the snowball bush

[Dianna]

I've asked Aunt Bonnie to post a picture of the trunk of this bush/tree. It is very interesting and pretty, too. It reminds me of the river birch when they start peeling. I can't remember if the flowers have a fragrance...

I think these blooms are a little different, Jimmy, but we won't rule it out yet. I am not sure about it being an orange blossom, either. I think after we get another picture (HINT: AB), it will help us even more to get an identity...

[Jim]

Does this look anything like your blooms?

No Jimmy, I'm afraid not.  The blooms as you can see in the photo have many more and smaller petals than the photo you posted.

Guess we will have to wait till Aunt Bonnie post the photo of the trunk of the bush.  Of course after I took the 4 shots here, then she tells me I should have shot the trunk...

[barleychown]

Hmmm, I'm going to say it looks like a double mock orange.

[Patty S]

I just did a Google search of double mock orange, & it sure seems to be that's what it is!  Good job, Sarah!

Looking at the different varieties on Google, it almost looks like Jimmy's bush could be the same thing.

[Dianna]

The varieties can certainly play havoc with identification. I do agree that it might be a "Mock Orange". Do we call this mystery solved?

[Jim]

I don't think Jimmy was asking for his to be identified Patty.

Does this look anything like your blooms?

If so it would be an Althea which is a cousin to Hibiscus aka Rose of Sharon. This does not look like what I always was told a snowball bush was.

Viburnum opulus is  the snowball bush

It sure looks like the Mock Orange. 

[Patty S]

Jim, I understood that Jimmy already knew the ID of his bush.  I was just observing that some varieties of the Mock Orange look similar to his Althea. (It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a plant named different things.) 

IDing plants is sorta like turning on the tube to see the weather forecast... depends on which channel you watch!  

[Penny]

  very pretty!

[duh]

If the owner of the mock orange is willing to air layer a baby for me I love love love these plants.  And yes they have a lovely fragrance if it is related to the one I remember from being a kid.  That one didn't have the blush of pink on it but that adds to the charm.

[Bonnie]

I'm willing, but I haven't a clue as to what you are talking about. I'm more of a ghost hunter than a gardener.

So tell me what I need to do. Bonnie

[Patty S]

Duh, could you please explain "air layering" to those of us who aren't familiar with it? 
(Maybe start a tutorial in Garden Chat, & walk us through it.)
Are there other kinds of "layering" 

Thanx!