Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tree
Origin
China
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Banks, Slopes
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Pollution, Shade areas
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, use all-purpose fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Sooty Mold
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Pollution, Shade areas
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Food for animals, Showy Purposes
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
SARCOCOCCA confusa
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Sweet Box
River Birch
In Hindi
Sarcococca confusa
River Birch
In German
Sarcococca verwirrt
Fluss Birch
In French
Sarcococca confus
Birch river
In Spanish
Sarcococca confundido
river Birch
In Greek
Sarcococca συγχέεται
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Sarcococca confuso
river Birch
In Polish
sarcococca mylić
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
confusa Sarcococca
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Buxales
Fagales
Family
Buxaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Sarcococca
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
203
1
27800
👆🏻