Sarcococca orientalis

Sarcococca orientalis, sometimes called Chinese Sweet Box, is a delightful small bush perfectly suited to small gardens and shady areas. This particularly floreriferous Chinese species has an upright and compact habit and bears large, evergreen, dark green, elongated, thick and shiny leaves. In winter, from November to March depending on the climate, clusters of small white flowers with pink stamens appear, emitting an extraordinary fragrance with notes of jasmine and lily of the valley. They are followed by small red and then black, decorative fruits. Perfectly hardy and requiring very little maintenance, it can be planted with all kinds of plants, in shade or partial shade, even among the roots of trees.

Sarcococca orinetalis is a bush belonging to the Buxaceae family, a close relative of Boxwood, native to southeastern China, where it is found along forest streams, in a mountainous region, up to 3000 metres (9842 feet) in altitude. It is a small, dense, slow-growing bush with a compact habit and arching stems, which will not exceed 1.40 metres (5 feet) in all directions after many years. Its evergreen and leathery foliage is a shiny dark green on top, lighter underneath. The leaves are entire, oblong-lanceolate, and quite long. The flowers appear from autumn, alongside the now black fruits, creating a very nice contrast. They are gathered in small clusters in the axils of the leaves, all along the branches. They measure no more than 3 to 5 mm (1in) in length and have no petals, only showing very developed pink stamens. This highly fragrant flowering continues throughout the winter, releasing a powerful fragrance that perfumes a whole area of the garden. The fruits are 1 cm (1in) ovoid berries, particularly decorative with their blood-red colour and shiny surface, becoming almost black and shiny in autumn.

Very hardy, this bush grows slowly. Like dwarf conifers, it knows how to blend into the background during the summer, structures small spaces in winter, and requires very little. It has the advantage of bringing a touch of spring to the garden throughout the winter season, just like mahonias. It can be grown in flower beds as well as in understory, low hedges, or ground cover. Place it, for example, behind a low wall, near a frequently used path, or even close to the entrance or under a window to fully enjoy its fragrance. It only dislikes limestone soils and is perfectly fine with the competition from tree roots. It is perfect for filling an understory with ferns, witch hazels, skimmias, aucubas, or azaleas. You can even grow it in pots.