Sarcococca confusa

This plant is probably native to Western China but grows wild across regions of East and South East Asia, including the Himalayas. Its dark summer berries are eaten by birds, who facilitate seed dispersal. The winter flowers are a rare source of sustenance for any occasional airborne insect braving a mild winter day.

The genus was named Sarcococca by western botanists for the Greek sarx (‘flesh’) and kokkos (‘berry’), and the species name comes from the latin for ‘indistinct.’ The tiny winter flowers are tucked closely to the base of the leaves along the stems. On a still winter’s day the sweet scent will pervade the atmosphere, giving rise to the common name of ‘Sweet Box’ after its vague similarity to Buxus hedging.