Canyon Mock-orange

(This comment was assigned a Neutral rating by the author - - I have not grown this plant but do want it in my garden. These notes are...Read More shared from my research on the plant. ~ £az)

Canyon Mock Orange habitat is on rocky cliffs and other well-drained sites near wet areas on the Edwards Plateau of Texas. This species can be used in home landscapes as low-growing evergreen and flowering shrubs in shaded and protected locations. Flowers smell like orange blossoms making it an excellent plant near outside living areas.

Nearly identical to the Texas Mock Orange (P. texensis), the only way to tell them apart is to examine their lower leaf surfaces. Lower leaf surfaces of P. ernestii are covered with short straight hairs, while those of P. texensis are matted with a mix of short straight and long tangled hairs.

Deer browse this shrub so it must be protected!

This plant is on display at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX.