Boxwood

Description

Boxwood is a classic evergreen shrub widely used for hedges, borders, topiary, and formal gardens thanks to its dense foliage, small leaves, and ability to tolerate shaping.

🌿 Boxwood – Plant Description

• Common Name: Boxwood

• Botanical Name: Buxus spp. (especially Buxus sempervirens and Buxus microphylla)

• Family: Buxaceae

• Plant Type: Evergreen shrub

🌱 Appearance

• Height/Spread:

  • Dwarf varieties: 1–2 feet

  • Standard varieties: 3–6+ feet tall and wide

• Growth Habit: Dense, rounded to upright mounds; naturally compact

• Foliage:

  • Small, leathery, rounded or oval leaves

  • Glossy dark green (some with light green or yellowish tones)

  • Evergreen year-round

🌞 Growing Conditions

• Light: Full sun to partial shade (prefers some afternoon shade in hot climates)

• Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil; prefers neutral to slightly alkaline pH

• Water: Moderate; water deeply and regularly when newly planted

• Hardiness Zones: USDA 5–9 (depending on species and cultivar)

✂️ Care & Maintenance

• Pruning:

  • Responds well to shaping and shearing

  • Best pruned in late spring to early summer (avoid pruning in fall)

• Fertilizer: Feed in spring with balanced, slow-release fertilizer

• Mulching: Helps retain moisture and insulate roots

• Pests/Diseases:

  • Vulnerable to boxwood blight, leafminer, and boxwood mite

  • Ensure good air circulation and avoid overhead watering to reduce disease risk