Sweet Box
Sarcococca confusa
Sweet Box is a shrub for structure, suited to shade and partial shade and clay, loam or acid soil, flowering Jan, Feb.
| Type | Shrub |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 150 cm |
| Spread | 100 cm |
| Aspect | shade and partial shade |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Hardiness | USDA 7a-9b, RHS H5 |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | Not confirmed |
Where to use it in a border
At around 150 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 100 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 7a to 9b and rated H5 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of shade, clay soil, acid soil, evergreen plants, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Sweet Box's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
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Worth knowing
- Evergreen, so it keeps the border furnished through winter.
- It tolerates acid soil but dislikes shallow chalk.
- It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Azaleato edge in front
- Barrenwort 'Frohnleiten'to edge in front
- Bergenia 'Purpurea'to edge in front
- Black mondo grassto edge in front
- Blue Windflowerto edge in front
- Bugleto edge in front