Sweet Box

An essential evergreen shrub for the winter garden, Sarcococca confusa is prized for its incredibly fragrant flowers. In the depths of winter (January and February), it produces tiny, inconspicuous creamy-white flowers that release a powerful, sweet scent that can carry across the garden. Following the flowers, decorative black berries appear and can persist for several months. The foliage is dark, glossy, and leathery, providing a neat backdrop throughout the year. It is one of the few shrubs that truly thrives in deep shade and under trees, making it perfect for those difficult, dark spots in the garden. It is a slow-growing, low-maintenance plant that is fully hardy and doesn't require much pruning. It also grows well in containers near a door where the winter fragrance can be most appreciated.

Sun: Partial shade to full shade.

Soil: Moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Jan, Feb.