Boxwoods

Uses:

Hedges & Topiary
Container Gardens
Privacy & Windbreaks

Features:

Evergreen Foliage
Drought Tolerant
Deer Resistant

Sunlight:

Partial Shade to Full Sun
4+ Hours of Direct Sun

Growing Zones:

4-10
What is My Zone?

Boxwood Care

Boxwood (buxus) are evergreen shrubs that are typically grown as hedges. The plants are easy to care for and can grow in areas that get at least 4 hours of sunlight.

Growing Boxwoods

Boxwood (buxus) are slow growing evergreen shrubs that are typically grown in warmer climates, but newer varieties can handle frost. These are grown in growing zones 4 to 9. Boxwoods are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Madagascar, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean islands. The majority of species being tropical or subtropical. In Europe these bushes are known simply as Box.

It is a genus of around 70 species of the family Buxaceae. Most boxwood shrubs are very heat resistant and drought tolerant once established. Making them ideal for locations in full sun and unforgiving conditions. These shrubs are also low maintenance and easy to care for. Allowing time to concentrate on other areas in your garden. The new growth typically appears as a lighter green foliage, while the older leaves are typically darker green.

This is an elegant broadleaf evergreen shrub that keeps formal landscaping looking sharp and crisp. They are known for their very dense leaves and the way that they grow, remaining so compact. The shrubs are slow growing. The fact that it grows so slow is helpful for landscapers wanting to shape them into a precise pattern; this way they will never grow so fast, they get out of control. Most boxwood shrubs will grow anywhere from 1 to 6 feet tall. However, some varieties can grow up to 20 feet tall when mature. These can grow from partial shade to full sunlight. The plants are very hardy and disease resistant and are low maintenance once established. Pruning these is most of the work that needs to be done.

Best Way To Use Boxwoods

These are some of the most popular shrubs in the United States. Typically gardeners and homeowners will plant these into a hedge to create a low growing border or fence. More experienced gardeners will also prune these into unique shapes such as triangles, squares, globes and even as a topiary in formal gardens. Advanced gardeners can even grow these into a bonsai. These can also be trained into growing into a tree form. Most people will recognize these being grown as hedges though.

Boxwoods are also great for growing in garden planters, giving 4 seasons of interest without much effort to care for the plants.