Scientific name: Buxus sempervirens
Family: BUXACEAE
Common names: “Common boxwood” “English boxwood”
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun – shade, best with morning sun and dappled shade,
Exposure: Shelter from strong winds, enjoys a cold root run, tolerates seaside
Soil: Slightly acidic loamy soil
Moisture: Evenly moist well drained, can be drought tolerant once established
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 15-20′ W 5-15′ , slow growing
Leaf and Stem shape: Compact, with small, glossy oval or oblong leaves
Flower: Small, yellowish flowers in the leaf axils
Pruning: Lots, in a formal garden they need a trim 4 times a year, never trim when wet
Maintenance: Medium/high, when planting a new hedge, its always good to plant a few extra plants elsewhere in the garden to replace any that might fail, plant very close together
Landscape use: Parterre, knot gardens, seaside, hedging, topiary, foundation planting
Propagate: By cuttings and seed
Pests & Disease: Boxwood blight! also can get fungal problems,boxwood leafminer and boxwood psyllid can overwinter on the shrub and attack new growth, always sterilize tools before and after cutting boxwoods, some cvs turn bronze in the winter – natural and not a disease
*Deer and Rabbit resistant
Comments: You have to choose the right species depending on the desired size, because of the blight and boxwood’s susceptibility they are not recommended for new plantings, choose alternatives, if replacing a shrub in an existing planting ensure the new specimen is of clean stock and isolate for a month if possible before planting
Cultivars: ~AGM winners: B. s. ‘Elligantissima’ , B. s. ‘Latifolia Maculata’ , B. s. ‘Faulkner’
Vancouver Island Grows 