Franklin's Gem Boxwood

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

Franklin's Gem Boxwood is a charming evergreen that is versatile and striking while also being hardy and low maintenance. The oval-shaped, glossy foliage is bright green during the summer and fades into a rich olive green during the winter. Buxus microphylla introduces consistent color into a landscape and is deer-resistant, so it is likely to retain its foliage even when this shrub is one of the few food sources available. This shrub grows as a perennial in USDA zones 5 through 8.

The fine texture and compact size of Franklins Gem Boxwood make this plant an ideal fit for borders, hedges, and along fences or foundation walls. Use this lovely evergreen in a mixed bed to introduce year-round color or feature in a container. At 2 to 3 feet tall, this shrub should be placed in the foreground of a bed to admire the delicate foliage. This slow-growing shrub has a rounded form and does not require much pruning, but it can be trimmed for a more formal look.

Franklin's Gem Boxwood Care

The Franklin's Gem Boxwood needs full sun to part shade and rich, well-drained soil. This evergreen prefers evenly moist soil, so deeply water each week during the first growing season. By the second or third year, this plant should have an established enough root system that it can take care of itself. Continue to water the plant during a drought for continued success.

Amend the soil with organic compost when planting and feed the plant starting in the second or third year. Apply a slow-release fertilizer in the spring and apply again every few years. Remove dead growth at any time by trimming all the way back. Allow the plant to maintain a natural shape or cut it just above the leaf bud to create a more stylized look or bushier growth.

Franklin's Gem Boxwood Spacing

Franklin's Gem Boxwood will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Create a dense mass planting or hedge by spacing plants 2 to 3 feet apart. One shrub can grow in a 12-inch container.