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Plant of the Month: Sarcococca confusa

Posted:7 December 2013

Sarcococca confusa (sweet box) is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae, related to the common box and probably native to western China.

This fantastic evergreen shrub, growing to 1m (spread 2m), gives a fountain of green all year round and is a must for the winter or woodland garden or shady border, particularly when under-planted with cyclamen or hellebores. To fully appreciate the fabulous, vanilla-like fragrance plant in moist, well-drained soil close to an entrance or path.

It has simple and lustrous dark green leaves and almost inconspicuous, very sweetly scented, creamy-white flowers from December to March.  The flowers are followed by red, purple or blue-black berries which may persist into the following winter.

S. confusa is one of the largest and bushiest of all the sweet box but is still ideal for as neat, clipped edging borders and works well in containers. It is fully hardy, compact and will eventually form a dense thicket. It has a suckering habit so keep this in check.

Photo: ‪graphicality-uk.blogspot.com

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