Min a Min Mock Orange

Min a Min Mock Orange (Murraya paniculata 'Min a Min') gives you the perfume of the classic mock orange in a plant that fits a suburban garden. It settles at about 1m tall and 1m wide, carries the same waxy white flowers, and releases the same citrus scent on warm evenings. Being a sterile form, it does not drop the orange berries the standard species leaves on paths. Planted 50cm apart it knits into a dense low hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Fragrance where you will notice it. Scented white flowers flush through the warm months, strongest in the evening. Plant it along a path, not down the back fence.
• It stays small without a fight. A metre each way is its natural size, so you shape it rather than cut it back hard.
• No berry drop. A sterile selection, so nothing stains paving or seeds into the beds.
• Heat, salt and dry spells. Drought tolerant once established, comfortable in humidity and happy with coastal salt wind.
• It clips well. Small leaves and tight branching make balls, cones and crisp low edges straightforward.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 50cm apart in a single row for a hedge that closes at knee to hip height. Closer spacing only makes the plants compete.

Pots and courtyards. A 40cm or larger pot holds it for years, and in an enclosed space the evening scent concentrates rather than drifting away.

Topiary and small gardens. Single plants clip well, so a matched pair of balls at an entry is realistic, and at a metre it gives a narrow bed structure.

Growing Min a Min Mock Orange in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the densest growth, and part shade opens the plant up. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. Light frost only, so in cold inland districts and hard frosting southern gardens grow it in a pot against a warm wall.

Soil. Free draining soil of almost any type. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound and work compost through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off. Controlled release fertiliser in early spring and late summer keeps the leaves dark and the flowering steady.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density, then trim lightly as each flowering flush finishes. Little and often beats one hard annual cut.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown from tube through to 100L. Tube, 140mm and 200mm plants come in multipacks and are the sensible way to buy a run of hedge: a season slower to close, but far better value per metre. The 250mm and 300mm sizes suit a short run or a pot, and 400mm and larger plants arrive bushy with presence on day one.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet fortnight while the roots take hold, then fresh growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare hedging plants for Australian gardens
• Browse the full range of fragrant plants
• Small courtyard garden ideas
• Find a pot to plant it into

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Fifty centimetres apart in a single row. Any closer and the plants compete for water and feed without closing the gap sooner.

How tall will it actually get?

About a metre tall and a metre wide. Left untrimmed it pushes taller and looser, and two light trims a year hold it between 80cm and a metre.

Will it grow in a cooler southern garden?

In warm temperate pockets, yes, in a sheltered sunny position. It takes light frost only, so in colder districts treat it as a pot plant that can move under cover through winter.