Description
Sarcocca – Christmas Box – Sweet Box –
There are 16-20 slow growing, monoecious, evergreen, sometimes rhizomatous shrub, within the Buxaceae family, in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in moist, shady places, forest, and thickets in Eastern and Southeastern Asia. They are grown for their foliage, usually fragrant flowers, and conspicuous red or black drupe of fruits containing 1-3 seeds. The deep green leaves are mainly alternate lance to elliptical. Tiny, sweety fragrant, petalless, white or whitish green male and female flowers, 1/4″ long, are borne in small clusters or spikes in the leaf axils. The male flowers have conspicuous anthers, the females are borne below the males in the inflorescence. Grow as groundcover in a shade garden, or use as a low, informal hedge.
Grow in neutral to slightly alkaline, moderately fertile, humus rich, moist, well drained soil in deep or partial shade. Full sun is tolerated if soil remains moist, otherwise, the leaves will go off color and the plant will loose vigor. Tolerates neglect and air pollution.
S. hookeriana – This rhizomatous, thicket forming suckering compact shrub from the Himalayan region grows 5′ feet tall and 6′ feet wide or more in the wild or in favorable conditions. It produces lance shaped, deep green leaves, to 3 ½” long. In early spring it bears cluster of fragrant cream colored flowers with reddish-pink anthers. In late autumn to winter it produces spherical, black fruit, 1/4″ across.
Zones 6-9
