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Christmas Box

Sarcococca

Also called Christmas Boxes, Sweet Box, Sweet Boxes

Christmas Box
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0

Sarcococca, called Christmas box or sweet box, is a genus of slow-growing evergreen shrubs, 1 to 2 m tall, grown for their very fragrant winter flowers. The key to growing them is a sheltered spot with shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Family
Buxaceae (Bux family)
Light
Part shade, Shade
Water
Keep soil evenly moist, especially in dry spells, and do not let it dry out completely.
Soil
Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil.
Temperature
Hardy to about -15 °C in many species; protect young plants from hard frost.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: Berries and other parts of some species are mildly toxic if eaten, and may cause stomach upset.

About

Sarcococca, nicknamed sweet box or Christmas box, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Buxaceae. native to eastern and southeastern Asia, and the Himalayas, with one species native to Central America. They are slow-growing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall. The leaves are borne alternately, 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm broad.

Where it grows

As of January 2025, the genus Sarcococca contains 15 accepted species. The genus is predominantly native to Asia, with more than half of the Sarcococca species native to China, however one species (Sarcococca conzattii) is native to southern Mexico (Oaxaca) and Guatemala.

Other Sarcococca plants

Sweet Box · Himalayan Sweet Box · Sweet Box

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sarcococca by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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