Late Winter View of Sweetbox

Few evergreen shrubs grow in the shade. Sweetbox (Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis) is a compact dwarf evergreen shrub or ground cover which is easy to grow (USDA hardiness zone 5-b to 8). Foliage remains lustrous dark green year-round.

Sweetbox grows in partial to full shade, 1 to 2 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet in spread. Fragrant white flowers appear in mid-to late winter which your nose may sense before your eyes. Blue-black berry-like fruits ripen in fall and winter and are quickly consumed by birds.

Sweetbox grows best in mildly acidic, well-drained, compost-rich soil. If two or more, space plants 5-6 feet apart. Feed with a 6-month rated slow-release fertilizer yearly or fertilize with a water-soluble fertilizer for acid-loving plants. Irrigate during the summer months when weekly rainfall amounts are infrequent. Two-year established plants exhibit good drought tolerance.

Sweetbox, a member of the boxwood family (Buxaceae), provides a dark green backdrop for spring-flowering bulbs and shade-loving perennials. It forms a long-lived ground cover beneath deciduous trees. Its evergreen foliage is utilized in making fall-winter wreaths and other holiday displays.

Rake tree debris, e.g. twigs and leaves, away from the planting to keep sweetbox looking neat. Disease and pest problems are rare. Foliage is resistant to many air pollutants. Scale may occasionally become a serious pest.

Sweetbox is rarely sold at local garden centers, but is easily purchased on-line. Because sweetbox is slow-growing, it does cost a bit more, but is a worthwhile long-term investment.