Sarcococca confusa

sweet box

5 5 1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star (4 reviews) Write review
20% off plants for shade
2 litre pot £17.99 £14.39
available to order from autumn
Quantity 1 Plus Minus
UNAVAILABLE
add to wishlist
pot size guide
Buy Sarcococca confusa sweet box: Sweetly scented, pure white flowers December to March

  • Position: partial to deep shade
  • Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: slow-growing to average
  • Flowering period: December to March
  • Hardiness: fully hardy

    Sweetly scented, pure white flowers from December to March and lustrous, dark green leaves. This wonderful, winter-flowering, dense, evergreen shrub is perfect for a shady border or woodland garden. To fully appreciate the fabulous, vanilla-like fragrance plant in moist, well-drained soil close to an entrance or path. Copes well with dry shade and urban-pollution.

  • Garden care: In late winter or early spring lightly trim or prune back shoots that spoil the plant's symmetry. After pruning apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost around the base of the plant.

Delivery options
  • Standard £4.99
  • Click & collect FREE
more info

Eventual height & spread

I have bought this plant for myself and for a freind

5

This plant is useful in shady areas and has tiny white flowers in the winter followed by shiny black berries. it is in an ally which leads to my front door so the perfumes gets blown away and have repositioned it into a more protected area and will under plant it with shade loving flowering plants I have planted it in a discarded which is green coloured refuse bin used normally for recycling bottles and plastic containers its a useful size for growing salads etc. There must be lots of them around because the lids are quite fragile and they do not make spare ones when they are damaged so a lot of useful plant containers.

Mike S

London Sutton Surrey

true

Complete satisfaction

5

Strong, healthy plant thriving 15 months after planting and providing wonderful fragrant scent during winter

Moli

North Wales

true

Perfect evergreen winter plant, good in shaded areas

5

This plant was bought for it's winter value but also its ability to do well in shaded areas. At the moment it is growing happily in a plant pot at the shaded side of the house near front door in hope that it will give off the wild scent that I know it can. Another nice thing about this plant is the display of berries that will show better as the plant matures so over all this plant is a top value evergreen plant that will stay compact in size but large on impact 10/10 Regards Colin Cartledge in Cheshire

Colin

Cheshire

true

Lovely plant

4

Second sarcococca purchased. Lovely glossy leaves and arching stems with fragrant flowers, a lovely plant for a shady garden, plant where the fragrance can be appreciated.

Chloe

London

true

2000027944

4.8 4

100.0

The leaves have started to drop from the lower branches. Is there any need to be concerned?

NickDave

Hello, It is not unusual for evergreen plants to lose some of their older, lower leaves as they put on new top growth, so unless the leaf drop is extreme, then I would not be concerned.

Helen

Hi purchased this sarcococca from Crocus in August. Planted in pot near front door as no planting space in shady front garden. Plant is doing really well flower buds about to open. My question is when will the best time be to move it from pot to garden as I now have space having dug up some old fuschias. I assume it is best to leave it in pot until ? Spring . Is this correct. Look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks for your help and the lovely healthy plant .

Novice gardener

Hello there Fully hardy container grown plants can be planted out anytime as long as the ground isn't frozen, or freezing outside or the soil waterlogged, but as you planted it up in August into a larger pot, I would leave it now and plant it out in the spring. This also means that you can enjoy the scent by your front door through the winter.

Can you advise what is the best time of year to plant this out (from a 2L pot)? Also whether several plants can be planted side by side to make a hedge, and if so how far apart they should be planted. Finally I note the full grown height is about 2 metres; can this be curtailed to 1m or so with pruning? Thanks so much.

foggy

Hello, These plants are fully hardy so can be planted out at any time of the year. Traditionally the best planting times are spring or autumn, but you can plant in winter provided the ground is not frozen, or during summer if you make sure they are kept well watered. They do make an excellent, informal hedge and can be clipped to keep them relatively compact. If you want to plant them as a hedge, then I would recommend planting them at 30-45cm intervals.

Helen

Can these be pruned into a ball shape, like with Buxus?

SoozB

Hello, These plants will cope with a little light pruning, however I would not recommend them for topiary.

Helen

Would this survive in a slightly sheltered,South facing slope 800 feet up in the Highlands? Soil is acid, mostly glacial pebbles and sand with a layer of leafmould on top. Oh,and we are infested with rabbits.

springisjune

Hello there This plant is tough but it likes partial or full shade with a constant moist, humus-rich soil, so a south facing aspect with sandy/ glacial pebbles is not right for this plant. Something like Cotoneaster × suecicus 'Coral Beauty' or Cotoneaster horizontalis could be a possibility. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/cotoneaster--suecicus-coral-beauty/classid.1022/ http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/cotoneaster-horizontalis/classid.1028/ Hope this helps

Will this plant cope with alkaline soil? Thank you

l'epouvantail

Hello there Yes Sarcococca will grow in acid, neutral or alkaline soil. Hope this helps.

Would you put this, or any Sarcococca, in a container?

Artonfriday

Hello there This is one of the larger forms of Sarcococca. I would choose one of the smaller more compact forms for a container, such as Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis or Sarcococca hookeriana var. hookeriana 'Ghorepani'. I have attached the links below. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/sarcococca-hookeriana-var-humilis/classid.2000011745/ http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/sarcococca-hookeriana-var-hookeriana-ghorepani/classid.2000020966/ Hope this helps

How well might this do in a south facing, sunny spot?

Sam

Hello there No I wouldn't plant this in an south facing sunny garden,- it really needs a shady, moist well drained soil. Sorry to disappoint you.

Winter containers

When the days are at their shortest and the sun is sinking lower day by day a winter container can help to improve your fading garden and raise your spirits. Place it by the main door, or in another prominent but sheltered place, and it will be a beacon o

Read full article