Botanical Name: Buxus sempervirens
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Common Name: English Boxwood  
Plant photo of: Buxus sempervirens
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Water Saving Tip:

Water-wise plants can be beautiful as well as practical.

Take your 'My List' Hydrozone Report to a landscape designer, or local nursery, when selecting and purchasing plants.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Broadleaf Evergreen, Shrub

 

Height Range

1-3', 3-6', 6-12', 12-25'

 

Flower Color

n/a

 

Flower Season

n/a

 

Leaf Color

Green, Dark Green, Variegated

 

Bark Color

Brown

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Half, Shade

 

Water

Medium, High

 

Growth Rate

Slow

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained, Moist

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish

 

Accenting Features

Silhouette, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter

 

Location Uses

Background, Entry, Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Hedge, Screen, Topiary, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Steve Mullany,Connon N.
  • Description

  • Notes

This group of boxwood is comprised of many cultivars that vary in size and somewhat in form. Those most commonly available here in clude 'Grahm Blandy' (columnar to 8 feet), 'Suffruticosa' (rounded form to 3 feet), and 'Inglis' (pyramidal to 7 feet). All are evergreen, with medium to dark green foliage and are generally very cold hardy.
Best grown in loamy, well-drained soil in part to full shade. Prefers snady-loam to clay-loam soils, acidic to slightly alkaline pH. Avoid cultivating around plants because they have shallow roots. Thin plants and remove dead/damaged branches annually as needed to improve air circulation. In our hot, dry climate, boxwood is best sited in a sheltered location that will protect it in winter from strong winds and full sun. Carefully remove snow accumulations from plants as quickly as practicable to minimize stem/branch damage. Though not a low water plant, when provided the right soil, light, and mulch, boxwood can manage on just one watering per week.