Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca)
Perennial
- Deer resistant evergreen for the shade!
- Flowers carry a jasmine-like fragrance.
- Certified Deer Proof™ by Proven Winners® ColorChoice Shrubs.
- Zones 5-9, shade/part sun, 1.5-2.5' tall x 2 - 3' wide at maturity
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Common name: Sweet Box
Zone: 5 -9
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) Part-Sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width:18" - 2.5" x 3’
Flower color: Red/White
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Late winter - early spring
Bloom time: Late winter - early spring
Features: Attracts pollinators, deer resistant, Proven Winners, compact, evergreen, foliage interest, Fragrant
Uses: Border, container, ground cover, specimen
How to Grow
Light: These shrubs are best positioned in full shade or part shade, although full sun will be tolerated if placed in exceedingly damp soil
Water: Average water needs. Fertilizing: The fertilization of sarcococca must be done twice a year, in autumn and spring. It is good to use slow release organic fertilizer or mature manure.
Winterizing: No extra care needed.
Maintenance & pruning: Prune only the tall forms and prune shortly after they've finished blooming (March-April). This forces new growth and stems that will then flower the following winter. Pruning during the summer and fall will remove the new growth; therefore, the flower buds are sacrificed.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I purchased 3 of these shrubs for a shady area last spring. The plants in my order were well-packaged for shipping, arrived healthy and did well over the summer/fall. Two of them did not survive the winter despite winter protection (burlap) to protect from wind in the first year. These seem to be the ideal shrubs for the location, so I'm willing to give them another try!
Our friendly customer service team is here to help! Just contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants. After further investigation, we will be able to better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Plant arrived healthy; planted in spring it looked great all year but did not survive the winter in 6b. Sadness =[
We’re sorry you’re having trouble with your plants! We are confident the plants in the photos will grow nicely in the garden, but we are always here to help! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2026, so we have you covered. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] and we can take a closer look. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Large plants arrived in great condition. Another wonderful addition to our garden.
2 more beautiful plants from Great Garden Plants. Very nice plants.
Didn't know how well they would do in some clay, but lots of new growth, and things are looking good!
My purchase far exceeded my expectations. The shrub is lush, with lots of branches and leaves. It looks healthy and robust. Far superior to what I have received from other online nursery companies.
The plant was in great condition and has already put out growth.
Plants were in fairly good condition. I watered them and left them outside to adjust to their new home. After 2 days they perked up and looked great. They’re in the ground and can’t wait to see them grow
First time customer and very happy with my plants. After a week they are showing signs of new growth and I am thrilled. Great documentation for preparing plants for planting too.
The plants arrived packaged well and have put on new growth already.
Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca)
Beautiful, healthy plants. Well packaged for shipping. I think the plants from Great Garden Plants are the best plants I have received through the mail.
Your plants were well packaged, and healthy. My plants should do very well. Great product and great service. I will shop with you again.
Plants arrived in very good condition. They were packed exceptionally well as I saw when the delivery man dumped them on our porch, upside down
Will continue to order from this company.
Thank you received my plants very healthy and well packed would buy from you again !
All the plants arrived in perfect condition and are thriving in my garden. So far the deer have not eaten them so I think I have chosen well.
Plants look healthy and hardy! Excited to watch them grow!
As usual great packaging plants appear healthy, so far their thriving! Lovin the bright color of maui buttercup hostas brighten up my midwest woodland garden.
So far so good. Both the sweatbox and the goatsbeard plants arrived looking small but healthy. I waited 2-3 days to plant. Both are thriving at this point; both have enlarged and the goatsbeard is even blooming a bit. I look forward to buying more plants next spring.
can the plants be planted in extra-large tall pots ?
Hello! Yes, you can plant Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca) in containers. Check out our gardening article for tips on how to choose the right size container: https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/what-size-pots-should-i-use-for-container-plantings/
Will this plant handle our terrible rainfall in the spring?
Hi! If you are concerned about the plant's ability to handle heavy spring rainfall, it would be important to ensure that the planting area has well-draining soil to prevent waterlogging, which can be detrimental to the health of many plants, including Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box. If your garden has heavy clay soil or poor drainage, you might consider amending the soil with organic matter or creating raised beds to improve drainage.
When does it bloom? Odd that this is not included in the "detailed description.
Hi! Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box blooms from late winter to early spring. You can find this information and more under the Details tab below Season of Interest.