Above: Creamy-white flowers and long lasting berries of Sarcococca confusa. Fragrant white flowers in winter followed by dark red berries in summer. Sarcococca confusa is the big, tough one of the group. Sarcococca confusa – also a 3-5 foot tall (and about as wide) species but with black fruit.. A little harder to find but worth the search: Sarcococca hookeriana var. On sunny winter days (yes we do have some of those in Portland) the sweet fragrance they are named for fills the air. Problems: Pest-free! Sarcococca ruscifolia, however, produces red fruit, while that of Sarcococca confusa is black. sarcococca confusa is a wonderful plant. Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Broadleaf evergreen, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m), densely branched, spreads by underground shoots. Characteristics: Several species of evergreen shrubs and groundcovers. Skip to content. It also grows a bit larger, to 5’ x 5’. Patrick Breen, It is unusual that female flowers on the same branch may have either 2 or 3 stigmas. Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem'Yellow leaves on plants are often due to watering or nutrient deficiency.There could be several reasons why your leaves are going yellow.The trick is to differentiate between the leaves naturally going yellow and dropping off with age and there being something wrong. digyna – said to be "the best form of Christmas box" by Xera Plants (and much-touted in classic English gardening books), it has purplish-red stems and larger flowers than the fairly commonplace S. hookeriana var. The clump forming species, including the relatively newly introduced S. wallichii, S. confusa and S. ruscifolia, can brighten up dull corners of the garden where little else will thrive. Yearly Events | Red, black or blue fleshy berries appear in winter alongside flowers. Synonyms: S. humilis Hort., in part, not Stapf; S. ruscifolia var. Why should I plant Sarcococca hedging? Leaves are opposite, dark green and glossy. A densely branched evergreen shrub up to 6 ft high and as much through, with a single main stem and fibrous root-system; branchlets downy. Grows in Part Sun to Light Shade. chinensis which is the most readily available. Rehd. Sarcococca ruscifolia is like in almost every way to S. confusa. Christmas box, Sarcococca confusa, is a dense, winter-flowering evergreen shrub, bearing sweetly scented, pure white blooms, in contrast with dark green leaves.It’s 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 ruscifolia v. chinensis.Photograph: Robbie Blackhall-Miles. Evergreen. Black berries. Oregon State Univ. The leaves are borne alternately, 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm broad.. Read up on some of our favorite shrubs and remember, this is only a smattering of the variety of shrubs we carry all year long! Forms natural espalier against wall. The flowers may go unnoticed as they are rather small and hidden amongst dark glossy leaves, but their scent will grab you. Sweet Box comes in two basic forms for the home gardener: the tall form and short form. Sarcococca ruscifolia fragrant sweet box Sold by 38 nurseries. White flowers are small, but very fragrant. White flowers not showy, lack petals, but very fragrant, open in winter, male flowers (towards shoot tips) with cream-colored anthers, female flowers have 2-3 styles. All thrive in shade to part shade and once established, like dry shade. Ultras; Aborto Espontâneo; Gravidez Resumida; Confissões de um Parto 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. It slowly forms a nice evergreen mat, spreading by underground roots. SKU. Sarcococca from Burncoose Nurseries Varieties of Sarcococca available to buy include the following: SARCOCOCCA confusa ,SARCOCOCCA hookeriana var digyna ,SARCOCOCCA hookeriana var digyna 'Purple Stem ... Plants by mail order since 1984, over 4100 plants online today! Note: Viewing a Native Plant will take you into our Native Plant section. 1 Review Add Your Review. Useful in dark areas where other plants won't grow! The most common is Sarcococca confusa, a dense, low-maintenance bush. The short form (varieties of S. hookeriana) makes somewhat of a groundcover with underground stolons that form a clump no taller than 12 inches and can spread about 3 feet. Will grow in sun or shade in well drained, not too dry soil. humilis. Sarcococca hookeriana - compact, spreading, mound-forming with red berries turning black. campus: northwest corner of Cordley Hall. 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. Sarcococca confusa. Sarcococca is usually evergreen, but we have witnessed defoliation caused by extreme (for Portland) cold. Smaller than S. confusa is S. ruscifolia var. Beautiful shrub for shady areas! This neat, compact shrub has highly fragrant white flowers during winter followed by crismon-red berries. Luckily for me I got confusa which grows to 4 feet which was my priority. It got no sunshine, no rain. 9000 SE Division, Portland, OR 97266. Shade, Z7 Flower Color is White/Cream and blooms in Spring, Winter. Phone: 503.788.9000 It is perfect for growing in containers, so position them on the patio, just outside the back door, and open the door or windows during warm winter days. It is the largest of the clan and can reach 4m-plus in height. The first I met was Sarcococca ruscifolia var. Looks great as a hedge. It throws out flowers by … chinensis, which has flowers all the way up the stem, followed by red berries. White flowers in January are a bit later than and not as fragrant as S. confusa. I grew them at our place near Lynnwood, WA. Recently new varieties have been release that are more uniform in their habits. 5050 SE Stark, Portland, OR 97215, Portland Nursery on Division Incredible perfume, hardy evergreen leaves and ease of care are all characteristics of Sarcococca sweetbox shrubs. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Collected in the hilly Hunan region of China by the revered British plantsman Roy Lancaster, it is a specimen for collectors. chinensis ‘Dragon Gate’. Sarcococca ruscifolia Slow growing evergreen shrub to 3-5 feet tall and wide. Requires shade, moderate water, and prefers acidic soil. Sarcococca confusa aka Confused Sweet Box. Excellent plant for use in drier shady areas. Planted in a dark shaded house corner at Wylde … Possibly a natural hybrid, but it comes true from seed. Winter box, sweet box (Sarcococca) The flowers are highly scented, so plant them near the house where you can fully enjoy the gorgeous aroma. Flowers are followed by long lasting black berries. Evergreen. If shaping is desired, it can be done after flowering in spring. S. hookeriana var. While there are 11 species of the evergreen, broadleaf shrub ranging from 12-inches to 6-feet in height, the two most popular varieties here in the Pacific Northwest are Sarcococca ruscifolia and S. hookeriana var. Ruscifolia is a larger variety, reportedly growing 6-7 feet tall and wide, sporting red berries with the same flowers and fragrance. Leaves alternate, simple, narrow, lanceolate, 3-5 cm long, lustrous green above, light green below. The flowers are followed by black berries, which stay on the plant for a long time. sarcococca: from sarco, flesh, and kokkos: a … You can enjoy winter colour and fragrance in your garden with this ever-popular, easy to grow shrub, Sarcococca. The least amount of sun it gets, the better is does. S. ruscifolia typically grows 3-4 feet high and wide, but can reach a height of 5 or 6 feet with time. Announcing their presence with their incredible, sweet vanilla fragrance, tiny ivory-white flowers appear in late winter to early spring, somewhat hidden among the dense foliage of glossy, slightly rippled, dark green leaves. Your subscription gives you an instant 25% off your entire pottery purchase! Sarcococca hedging is an extremely good small hedging plant which has become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative to Box hedging.. It is easy to look after, of no interest to pests and diseases, and it doesn’t need pruning. sarcococca hookeriana This rhizomatous species is known mainly for the following two outstanding variants, both of which bear glossy, blue-black fruit. The plants bear fragrant white flowers, often in winter. Sarcococca confusa - reaches about 6 feet at maturity. Sarcococca ruscifolia is like in almost every way to S. confusa. In 1980 Roy Lancaster collected and subsequently introduced S. ruscifolia … Common Name: Chinese fragrant sweet box; Synonyms: Sarcococca ruscifolia 'Dragon Gate', Sarcococca 'Dragon Gate', Sarcococca 'Roy Lancaster' Position: Full shade, Partial shade, North-facing, East-facing, South-facing, West-facing, Sheltered The major difference is fruit color – S. ruscifolia has red berries rather than black. chinensis Hort., in part, not (Franch.) Above: A more recent introduction, Sarcococca ruscifolia var. Home | humilis. It’s dark, glossy, evergreen leaves, bird-attracting berries, comfort in shady gardens (even in dry shade!) Hardiness zone 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. I started new plants from cuttings and seed, from their berries. Handy Brochures. Phone: 503.231.5050 The plants recovered in spring with no long-term problems. Grows 3-5’ x 3-5’ if left alone but it can easily be pruned into a lower hedge (see below). and pest-free nature clinch the deal. The tall form (S. ruscifolia and S. confusa) get to about 2-3 feet in height and wide. Most species of Sarcococca are fully frost hardy, S. saligna a little less so, and … Home; Gravidez. dignya has slimmer foliage. 9 Jul, 2012 Followed by bright red fruit. Culture: Shade to part shade – hot afternoon summer sun will burn them. The major difference is fruit color – S. ruscifolia has red berries rather than black. Growing sweetbox shrubs is effortless and they can be elegant little standards, gently sweeping low hedges and provide some winter interest in the dormant perennial … Shade-part shade, Z7 (0-10f). Shade, Z7, Origin: Southeast Asia, western Himalayas, western China. Apparently confusa is often sold as ruscifolia, and yes, you too can be a victim of sloppy labeling. It also grows a bit larger, to 5’ x 5’. They are slow-growing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall. Classes | Hardy. Sarcococca confusa NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Sign up today! Sweetly scented, Sarcococca confusa (Sweet Box) is a terrific, winter-flowering, evergreen shrub rich of many qualities. 7051. According to Sunset Western Garden Book, S. confusa is often sold as S. ruscifolia, although they are similar in appearance, S. ruscifolia has red fruit. & Wils. Portland Nursery on Stark We’re all in. chinensis ‘Dragon Gate’, is considered a dwarf shrub at a height of roughly two feet. A slightly less vigorous variety to look out for is Sarcococca ruscifolia var. Planted one on the north side of our house, near the front door. Sarcococca confusa. Rating: 100 % of 100. Plants grown from cuttings can vary in mature size — typical growth is around 10-12” tall x 2-3’ wide, but plants can grow as tall as 2-3’. Shade. Mid-winter white flowers are small, feathery looking and may go unnoticed except for their exceptional scent. Hardy to USDA Zone (6b) 7      Origin of the species is somewhat confused, thought to have been collected by Ernest H. Wilson from the wild in China about 1908, but it has not been discovered in the wild. Hardiness varies, Z6 (-10-0f) & Z7(0-10f). • Groundcover types are 10-12” tall, spreading to 3’ wide, • Upright shrubs from 18” tall to 4-5’tall. Locations | White flowers in January, red berries in fall turn black. It is evergreen and produces elliptic taper pointed dark green leaves and grows well in many situations. Join now. Also known as Christmas box plants, these shrubs are related to standard boxwood plants but offer glossier leaves and unmatched scent in late winter. Sarcococca confusa is also known as Sweet Box or Christmas Box. Fruit ripen a year later, at first red, then turning black, shiny, oval, 8 mm long. One of the first flowers of the year is Sweet Box, Sarcococca. Sarcococca confusa Sealy. Expected height at maturity for Sarcococca confusa is 5 feet, but as Jaykaty says, they are slowish growing. CPN (Certified Plant Nerd)[email protected], College of Agricultural Sciences - Department of Horticulture, USDA Hardiness Zone Maps of the United States, Oregon Master Gardener Training: Identifying Woody Plants. The flowers of Sarcococca confusa might be inconspicuous, and hide beneath the leathery foliage, but you won't miss their powerful, honey-like fragrance. 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