What: Small, evergreen, shade-loving shrubs are hard to find in the Northwest, but this dwarf sweetbox fits the bill with its fragrant white flowers in early spring and blue-black berries in summer. Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis may also be used as a ground cover.
Where: Sweetbox grows best in light to deep shade in locations protected from hot afternoon sun. It prefers a rich and moist to well-drained soil, but will tolerate sandy locations and clay, if the drainage is adequate.
Size: Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis grows to be 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide when mature.
Care: Once established, dwarf sweetbox is drought-tolerant but appreciates occasional watering during long, dry spells. It is slow to become established, often taking a couple of years to settle in. Little pruning is needed other than the occasional removal of dead or broken branches. In severe and sudden cold snaps it can defoliate, but it will leaf out in spring.
— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks
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