Lewis's mock orange

Appearance

The shrub is rounded and grows to 1.5 to 3 meters 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 oppositely arranged leaves vary in size across individual plants but they are usually oval, 3 to 5 centimeters long, smooth or serrated along the edges, and light green in color with a rough texture. The flowers are produced in clusters at the ends of long stems, with four white petals up to 4 centimeters long and numerous yellow stamens. At the height of flowering, the plant is covered in a mass of blossoms. The flowers have a heavy, sweet scent similar to orange blossomss with a hint of pineapple. The fruit is a small hard capsule about a centimeter long with woody, pointed wings, containing many brown seeds.

Naming

It was first collected by Meriwether Lewis in 1806. Other common names include wild mock-orange, and syringa, a name that usually refers to the unrelated lilacs.

Uses

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 saponins, were mixed in water for use as a mild soap.