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Sarcococca ruscifolia

Unripe fruit (abundant seedlings nearby) on planted specimen; garden Bushy Park near Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 10/04/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

Flower buds (abundant seedlings nearby) on planted specimen; garden at Bushy Park near Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 10/04/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Dense seedlings close to fruiting planted shrub; Bushy Park, Kaiiwi, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 02/05/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Seedlings from dense patch close to fruiting planted shrub; Bushy Park, Kaiiwi, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 02/05/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Fruit on planted shrub in garden, Bushy Park, Kaiiwi, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 02/05/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Dense seedlings (mostly with cotyledons only), beside planted shrub; Bushy Park, Kaiiwi.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 02/05/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.

Unripe fruit on planted shrub in garden, Bushy Park, Kaiiwi, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 02/05/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

Planted shrub, Bushy Park, Kaiiwi, Whanganui.<br>Photographer: Colin C. Ogle, Date taken: 04/07/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common names

Sweet box

Biostatus

Exotic

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons

Simplified description

Evergreen shrub, 1-4 m tall, erect, densely branched. Leaf lanceolate 20-30 mm × 7-12 mm, somewhat leathery, bright green above, lighter green below; tip acuminate. Monoecious with flowers in short racemes; flowers white, fragrant. Fruit fleshy, 7-8 mm diameter, scarlet, terminating with 2-3 persistent styles

Flower colours

White

Conservation status

Not applicable

Detailed taxonomy

Family

Buxaceae

Authority

Sarcococca ruscifolia Stapf

Ecology

Year naturalised

2017

Origin

China

Reason for introduction

Ornamental

Life cycle and dispersal

Flowers in winter with scarlet fruit soon after

Referencing and citations

References and further reading

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=3&taxon_id=129205

Attribution