Christmas Box Sarcococca orientalis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- sar-koh-KOH-kah or-ee-en-TAY-liss
- Description
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Christmas Box is a small, evergreen shrub with a slow to moderate growth rate, but a long life span, and a preference for shady sites. The plant uses suckers to form colonies and, with a mature height of about 3 feet, makes an excellent ground cover. The plant is drought tolerant and deer resistant. It is a winter blooming plant, producing fragrant white flowers from January to March and shiny green foliage year round. Christmas Box can be planted in groups for a great perfume effect during the coldest days of the year. The genus name comes from the Greek words sarkos meaning flesh and kokkos meaning a berry in reference to the fleshy fruits. The species name reflects the plant's oriental native environment.
Christmas Box does best in part shade in organically rich, acidic, well-drained soil. Once established, it required limited watering. It does prefer shade and placement in full sun can lead the leaves to turn yellow. Established plants have some drought tolerance and are cold hardy to about -10 F. You can prune the shrub in spring after flowering to maintain an attractive shape and desired height.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sarcococca
- Species:
- orientalis
- Family:
- Buxaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- ground cover
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern China
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Female flowers give way to globose, shiny black fruits to 1/3 of an inch wide.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Pink-tinged white flowers are inconspicuous but sweetly scented, and blossom along the branches in midwinter, their scent is most noticeable during mild spells.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Lustrous dark green leaves are ovate-lanceolate and cuneate at the base and can reach 3 1/2 inches in length. The leaves are longer than the leaves of the commonly cultivated S.confusa and broader than S. hookeriana.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought