Plant of the month sarcococca confusa sarcococca confusa has gained popularity within garden design circles over the last few years and quite right too as it is a plant with much to offer. Sarcococca ruscifolia is also known as christmas box or sweet box. Evergreen small shrub, suitable for shade in any ordinary garden soil. But though it grows faster in zones 7 through 9, it isnt exactly swift anywhere. Christmas box sarcococca confusa evergreen fragrant. Christmas box plant collection 3x sarcococca confusa christmas box shrub 3 lovely, young plants. Sarcococca sweet box collection winter flowering sarcococca collection s confusa s hookeriana christmas box shrubs sterter plants of 23inches 4. Plant of the month sarcococca confusa john davies landscape. Feb 07, 2009 in one book, sweetchristmas box is labelled as poisonous. Plant database entry for sweet box sarcococca confusa with 11 images, one comment, and 33 data details. Sarcococca confusa christmas box sweet box 9cm pot evergreen sweetly scented shrub.
The leaves are longer than the leaves of the commonly cultivated nfusa and broader than s. Xera plants and muchtouted in classic english gardening books, it has. Buy sarcococca confusa and get the best deals at the lowest prices on ebay. Fragrance in the winter is a real bonus to the garden and sarcococca confusa, also known as sweet box, for its fragrance and in the northern hemisphere christmas box, as this is when it flowers in the uk, and it is one of the best plants for winter fragrance it is from the buxaceae family landscaping uses. I bought it in the summer on the cheap, planted it. Try to find a spot close to the house for christmas box, or sweet box. One of the best evergreen shrubs to grow for winter fragrance hence its common name sweet box forms a neat and easy to manage evergreen bush for sun or shade, colour all year round. Feeding was the worst thing to do at this end of the year and if the plant was suffering, but the plant wont take it up anyway hopefully.
A perfect specimen shrub for any dull winter garden. Or close to a path to the greenhouse or shed, or near a seating area. Perhaps if you sowed the berries in a dryish soil mix and put somewhere quiet in the garden and left them, it would mirror the sort of conditions mine have had. The genus sarcococca meaning flesh berry a reference to the conspicuous fleshy fruits is also known by the common name sweet box. They have a number of large bushes of different sarcococca and should be in flower now. Sarcococca orientalis is a species in the genus sarcococca in the plant family buxaceae. Sarcococca in kew science plants of the world online. Small strongly scented flowers white flowers in winter. These small evergreen shrubs resemble box bushes, but. Sweet smelling flowers are enough to make us love a plant forever, but sarcococca keeps on giving. They gradually form lowgrowing mounds of evergreen foliage. Genus sarcococca are compact, sometimes suckering evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and.
Its extremely tolerant of shade and is therefore perfect for growing in a woodland border or shady corner, where you can enjoy its heady fragrance throughout winter. Sarcococca confusa also a 35 foot tall and about as wide species but with black fruit. Sarcococca confusa makes a rounded, compact bush with tiny white flowers. Browse pictures and read growth cultivation information about sarcococca species, christmas box, sweet box sarcococca hookeriana supplied by member gardeners in the plantfiles database at dave. Feb 18, 2016 popular evergreen shrub native to western china, sarcococca confusa has glossy, darkgreen leaves and masses of fragrant, creamcoloured flowers in midwinter. A special anniversary edition of the unforgettable christmas classic that has touched the hearts of millions of readers. Sarcococca confusa, christmas box, sweet box plant in 9 cm pot 5. Youll get away with partshade, but it wont be happy in a sunny part of the garden. Sweetly scented, sarcococca confusa sweet box is a terrific, winterflowering, evergreen shrub rich of many qualities. Christmas box plant collection 3x sarcococca confusa.
Jan 05, 2002 near the back door, a bush of sarcococca confusa makes a fountain of green all year. Sarcococca confusa a member of the buxaceae family can be found in the winter border. Alan titchmarshs tips on growing christmas box in your. At present our information about this plant is limited to a list of the nurseries that supply it.
Christmas box, sarcococca confusa, is a dense, winterflowering evergreen shrub, bearing sweetly scented, pure white blooms, in contrast with dark green leaves. The board of trustees of the royal botanic gardens, kew. Ive had a bit in water on the windowsill since christmas and it hasnt offered to put out any roots so id try the berries. Christmas box plant collection 3x sarcococca confusa christmas box shrub 3 lovely, young plants 4.
Buy sarcococca confusa christmas box plant or sweet box. Sarcococca hookeriana humilis, commonly known as sweet box, is an evergreen that originates in the himalaya mountains. Sweet box sarcococca confusa also known as christmas box is a much undervalued, exquisitely scented small evergreen. Sarcococca confusa is the perfect little shrub for a shady spot. At present our information about this plant is limited to a list of the nurseries that. Sarcococca sweet box or christmas box is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the box family buxaceae, native to eastern and southeastern asia and the himalayas. Near the back door, a bush of sarcococca confusa makes a fountain of green all year. Sarcococca are compact, sometimes suckering evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and tiny, fragrant creamywhite flowers in winter or spring, followed by red, purple or black berries which may persist. This species, a member of the buxaceae family is thought to be native to western china. Popular evergreen shrub native to western china, sarcococca confusa has glossy, darkgreen leaves and masses of fragrant, creamcoloured flowers in midwinter. Christmas box is a versatile, evergreen shrub that needs little maintenance and can tolerate many different garden situations, especially difficult areas such as. Carry on browsing if youre happy with this, or find out how to manage cookies. The name is derived from the greek words sarkos meaning flesh, and kokkos meaning a berry, a reference to the fleshy fruits.
Personalised keepsake box storage box school books stuff christmas box teenage boy teenage girl any message. This common name tells us two things about these plants. Sarcococca confusa christmas box is a fantastic compact, hardy, evergreen shrub with a powerful honey scent that will stop you in your tracks. A member of the buxaceae family, it is directly related to buxus sempervirens and like common box it will grow in a wide variety of environments from. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 to 9. Lots of shrubby plants are fragrant in winter, but none more so than the christmas box, or sarcococca. Genus sarcococca are compact, sometimes suckering evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and tiny, fragrant creamywhite flowers in winter or spring, followed by red, purple or black berries which may persist into the following winter. Also known as christmas box and himalayan box, these demure. Sarcococca is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the box family buxaceae, native to. How to prune a sarcococca hook humilis home guides sf gate.
Apr 08, 2011 evergreen small shrub, suitable for shade in any ordinary garden soil. Your variety is the toughest sweet box, rated hardy to zone 6. I was surprised how many had germinated under the plant, it is very dry and shaded by the leaves. These very useful plants are perfect for ground cover, they spread well and they prefer shade or semishade and will tolerate being underplanted beneath trees and shrubs and in these conditions they will adapt to dry soil. In one book, sweet christmas box is labelled as poisonous. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Suitable for hedges up to 75cm it is an excellent substitute for box, especially if box blight is a problem. I havent done it myself because i thought a cutting would be quicker. Alan titchmarshs tips on growing christmas box in your garden.
I have a sarcococca confuse plant and the leaves have. A small evergreen, christmas box brings much needed bloom and scent to the. Buy sarcococca hookeriana humilis j parker dutch bulbs. I have a sarcococca confuse plant and the leaves have brown and dry i have recently repotted to a larger pot and. Sarcococca confusa christmas box or sweet box, fragrant, scented, winter flowering, hardy, evergreen, shade tolerant shrub.
Himalayan box sarcococca hookieriana var humilis growing around the base of. Feb 05, 20 christmas box is a divinely fragranced flower its not showy but the fragrance alone makes it worth growing. Buy sweet box sarcococca confusa sweetly scented, pure white flowers december to march. Jan 20, 2012 one such valuable winter performer is sarcococca. The entrance to the glade is formed entirely and unashamedly of intensely scented winterearly spring flowering trees and shrubs lonicera x purpusii winter beauty, sarcococca confusa and a pink flowered viburnum surely x bodnantense which would be entirely fitting as kenneth was born and brought up in the wonderful house and.
Sarcococca confusa, fragrant winter shrub collection, winter shrub collection, sarcococca hookeriana var. Its dark, glossy, evergreen leaves, birdattracting berries, comfort in shady gardens even in dry shade. In time we will be adding more details including a description, growing information, advice and photographs. Robbie blackhallmiles in 1980 roy lancaster collected and subsequently introduced s.
Flowering between december and february, the sarcococca hookeriana humilis produces lush, leathery foliage, and. Good hedging plant for year round colour and blooms in winter months. Synonymic checklists of the vascular plants of the world 2019. Liner sarcococca evergreen shrubfragrant sweet box christmas box quart size plant, 610 tall shipped in 3 potplastic bag. Sarcococca originate in china and the himalayas and are related to the common box, buxus hence the common name. Alternatively grow sarcococca plants in patio containers using soil based compost such as john innes no. Christmas box is a smallish evergreen shrub native to asia. Christmas box will tolerate full sun provided that the soil remains moist. The dark green leaves are slightly rippled and it is the small white flowers that clothe the stems that produce the rich fragrance. The plants botanical name is sarcococca and you will find sarcococca humilis, s. Announcing their presence with their incredible, sweet vanilla fragrance, tiny ivorywhite flowers appear in late winter to early spring, somewhat hidden among the dense foliage of glossy, slightly rippled, dark green leaves. The commonly named christmas box or sweet box is one of those plants.
They are slowgrowing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs 12 m 37 ft tall. A genus of slow growing evergreen shrubs, grown for their foliage, fragrant, winter flowers and spherical fruits. Under a window which you might open on a sunny day. Commonly known as the christmas box or sweet box, sarcococca hookeriana humilis is a dense and reliable evergreen shrub which is also incredibly simple to grow, making it a firm favourite of novice and experienced gardeners alike. It is commonly known as christmas box or sweet box. Sarcococca confusa christmas box scotplants direct. Fragrance in the winter is a real bonus to the garden and sarcococca confusa, also known as sweet box, for its fragrance and in the northern hemisphere christmas box, as this is when it flowers in the uk, and it is one of the best plants for winter fragrance it is from the buxaceae family. Sarcococca confusa known as christmas box or sweet box, this is a must if you like scent in the garden. It is a holiday classic that is as beloved in our time as a christmas carol was in. Any plant that flowers in the winter must work very hard to attract the few insects that are around, hence winter flowering shrubs are particularly fragrant. Sweet box sarcococca confusa new and unread treemails. Mines near the back door and the flowers smell absolutely gorgeous when you come in from the garden.
It can grow as high as 6ft but 4ft is a more usual height. In one book, sweetchristmas box is labelled as poisonous. Its hidden away for a lot of the year and only really becomes visible in the winter when the plants around it have died back. Christmas box is a divinely fragranced flower its not showy but the fragrance alone makes it worth growing. Most fragrant sarcococca sweetboxchristmas box discussion in general gardening discussion started by dim, feb 2, 2012. Since the christmas box was first published, more than eight million people around the world have been touched by its magic. Its called sarcococca confusa and has common names of sweet box or christmas box, because it looks a bit like box. I have a sarcococca confuse plant and the leaves have brown. As grown by a national heritage plant collection holder. Sarcococca confusa reaches about 6 feet at maturity. They are fragrant low growing evergreen shrubs native to china and the himalayas. The leaves are borne alternately, 312 cm long and 14 cm broad.
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