Sarcococca


Sarcococca, nicknamed sweet box or Christmas box, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Buxaceae. native to eastern and southeastern Asia, and the Himalayas, with one species native to Central America. They are slow-growing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs tall. The leaves are borne alternately, 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm broad.
As of January 2025, the genus Sarcococca contains 15 accepted species. The genus is predominantly native to Asia, with more than half of Sarcococca species native to China, however one species is native to southern Mexico and Guatemala.
The plants bear fragrant white flowers, often in winter. The fruit is a red or black drupe containing 1–3 seeds. Some species are cultivated as groundcover or low hedging in moist, shady areas. The basic chromosome number for genus is 14.
The genus name Sarcococca'' comes from the Greek σάρξ and κόκκος for "fleshy berry", referring to the black fruit.

Selected species