Introducing...
Sarcococca
Common name: Sweet box
Known for their sweetly scented winter flowers and glossy evergreen foliage, sarcococcas may not steal the show, but they lift the spirits during the short days of winter.
Plant them by a path or doorway so you catch the fragrance, and mix them with companionable winter flowers like hellebores and snowdrops. They're also useful in dry shade under trees.
Looks
Sarcococca are bushy evergreen shrubs with glossy, dark green leaves. In winter, they produce small but highly fragrant, creamy-white flowers (some flushed pink), followed by black, purple or red berries.
Likes
A good choice for shady spots and happy in dry conditions once established.
Dislikes
The leaves can become yellow or pale and peaky in very dry situations or in full sun.
Did you know?
Sarcococca is in the box family (Buxaceae), so plants can be used as a lightly clipped, informal hedge in a shady spot.
Growing guide
How to grow sarcococca
All the information you need to grow and care for sarcococcas in your garden
Sarcococca we recommend
Sarcococca ruscifolia var. chinensis 'Dragon Gate'
Chinese fragrant sweet box 'Dragon Gate'
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Sarcococca saligna
willow-leaf sweet box
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Sarcococca ruscifolia var. chinensis 'Dragon Gate'
Chinese fragrant sweet box 'Dragon Gate'
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Sarcococca saligna
willow-leaf sweet box
- 0.5–1 metres
- 0.5–1 metres
Useful advice
Birch for winter interest
Fragrant plants
Shade planting: shrubs
Shrubs: evergreen for specific situations
Shrubs: evergreen by size
Plants for under trees
Plants for winter interest
Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.