Sarcococca orientalis
An evergreen, shade-tolerant shrub with glossy leaves, extremely fragrant white flowers in late winter, and persistent black berries.
Common Names
Christmas Box, Sweet Box, Oriental Sweet Box, Chinese Sweet Box, Oriental Sarcococca, Sweetbox
Summary
Native to Jiangxi province in southeast China, this evergreen shrub forms a small, dense bush with glossy dark green leaves. It flowers in winter with fragrant white blossoms (pink-tinged on some forms), followed by small black fruits, and the fragrance is strong and carries some distance.
Prefers shade to partial shade with well-drained soil, tolerating a wide range of soils from chalk to clay; drought-tolerant once established; deer-resistant. It forms suckers and dense thickets, making it suitable as a specimen plant, border, woodland understory, ground cover, or container plantings. Hardy in USDA zones 6–11; growth is slow; light pruning after flowering.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
3-5 feet
Spread
3-4 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6-9
Sunlight Requirements
Partial Shade to Full Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained, moist, fertile soil rich in organic matter.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Creamy white to white, sometimes pink-tinged
Bloom Time
Winter
Foliage Color
Green to dark green foliage
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Slow growth, up to 1 m in five years, 5–10 years to reach ultimate height.
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, cuttings, divisions
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are attracted.
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- C.Y.Wu
- Publication
- Acta Phytotax. Sin. 17(3): 99 (1979)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Buxales
- Family
- Buxaceae
- Genus
- Sarcococca