Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis

About this cultivar:

Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis, aka dwarf sweet box, is a wonderful Himalayan member of the boxwood family that makes superb, texturally interesting evergreen groundcover for the woodland garden. The long, upright stalks are adorned with narrow, glossy green leaves. The stems spread slowly via underground stolons, forming a wide patch in 10 years. In late winter/early spring, the plants are laden with small but very fragrant white flowers that are flowwoed by cute dark berries.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Flowers: February, March, April
• Other features: Great Ground Cover
• Hardiness: Fully hardy, grows well in Ballyrobert
• Habit: Suckering
• Foliage: Evergreen
• Height: 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 ft)
• Spread: 30 - 360 cm (1 - 11 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Shrub
• Colour: Green, white
• Goes well with: --

About this genus:

Sarcococca is a genus of 20 small, slow-growing, shrubby species from southeast Asia and the Himalayas that are closely related to boxwood. The major attraction of Sarcococca is the sweetly fragrant flowers in winter when little else is flowering. With such a sweet scent, you might expect that Sarcococca flowers are showy, but they are actually teeny tiny...almost unnoticeable. The flowers are often followed by gladdening glossy black berries

Ideal for those who seek low-maintenance yet sophisticated additions to their garden, Sarcococca requires minimal care once established. Its adaptable nature allows it to thrive in a variety of soil conditions, and its moderate growth rate ensures a harmonious integration into your landscape.

Sarcococca is fairly slow growing. A shade-to-part-shade plant, but will tolerate what these islands call 'full sun'. Try pairing Sarcococca with Hosta, Heuchera, Ajuga, or Hellebores for an attractive shade garden bed.