Asked by: Claudette Sukarman
home and garden landscaping

What is a boxwood shrub?

37
Boxwood plants (Buxus) are dense, evergreen shrubs often planted in elegant and formal landscapes. Many varieties and cultivars of boxwood plants exist. Boxwoods are grown for foliage as their flowers are insignificant.


Similarly, it is asked, how large do boxwood shrubs get?

Tallest Boxwoods Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8 -- again depending on the cultivar -- mature common boxwood plants can reach a maximum average height of around 20 feet. More commonly, however, they grow to a height of between 10 and 15 feet.

One may also ask, which is the best boxwood shrub? If you want a small, compact, low-growing shrub to form a hedge that serves as an accent or border along your walkway, fence line or planting beds, dwarf boxwood varieties are the best pick. The "Dwarf English" boxwood (Buxus sempervirens “Suffruticosa”) creates a border hedge approximately 1 to 2 feet in height.

Simply so, what does a boxwood shrub look like?

Its leaves are oval, forest green above and yellowish green below, and about 1 inch long. Littleleaf boxwood is smaller, and its leaves are often half the size of common boxwood. This variety of boxwood typically grows to 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide, making it an excellent choice for a low hedge.

Do boxwoods grow fast?

Boxwood is naturally a slow-growing shrub and generally add less than 12 inches per year. But the boxwood requires proper care to thrive as a vigorous shrub and grow at its expected rate.

Related Question Answers

Dean Grokholsky

Professional

Do boxwoods spread?

Mature Height/Spread
Common or American boxwood (B. sempervirens) is a wide-spreading shrub or small tree with dense, evergreen foliage. Littleleaf or Japanese boxwood (B. microphylla) is a low-growing, evergreen shrub, which only reaches a height of 4 feet and a spread of 4 feet.

Helida Peralvarez

Professional

How far away from the house should you plant shrubs?

Small shrubs should be planted at least 2 feet from a house foundation, medium shrubs about 3 feet and tall shrubs 4 to 5 feet away. An 8-foot shrub next to a six foot shrub should be spaced about 7 feet apart.

Dirceu Balakhonov

Professional

When should you plant boxwood shrubs?

The ideal time to plant boxwoods is during the late fall, late winter or the early part of the spring. Avoid planting at times of the year when temperatures are at their most extreme. This gives the boxwood time to become established before winter temperatures drop and spring temperatures rise.

Xiaowen Ardanaz

Explainer

What are the smallest boxwoods?

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'
A small, rounded evergreen shrub that forms tufts of growth resembling a cloud if left unpruned. The slow growing, dwarf form is ideal for edging and borders along pathways or around flower beds.

Ranjeet Zhvirblis

Explainer

Are boxwoods poisonous to dogs?

The entire tree is poisonous, both orally and topically, so it is best not to have them anywhere your dog will be. The Boxwood Tree is from the Buxaceae plant family, and contains alkaloids, which are toxic to dogs. While the entire plant is toxic, the leaves are especially poisonous to dogs and other small animals.

Lixiao Mazeau

Explainer

How long does it take to grow a boxwood hedge?

It will take 3-5 years for your boxwood hedge to fill in.

Brittani Moll

Pundit

Are boxwoods expensive?

Boxwood, or buxus in the botanical lingo, is a mainstay of formal gardens because it can be clipped into tidy shapes. Two downsides hurt boxwoods' appeal: They are slow growers, which makes them expensive in nurseries because of the cost of carrying them for several years until they are big enough to sell.

Shehzad Paulouro

Pundit

Where do boxwoods grow best?

Most boxwood prefer to grow in part shade, such as the dappled light shining through overhanging foliage or a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning or afternoon. Certain varieties will tolerate heavy shade.

Marcial Goenaga

Pundit

Will boxwoods grow back?

"Boxwoods can be cut back pretty dramatically and they'll re-grow nicely. "But because boxwoods are very prone to winter damage, you want to time their pruning—especially a hard pruning—carefully. The best time is that period where the end of winter meets the beginning of Spring, just before the new growth appears.

Ahmad Dahlbudding

Pundit

Are boxwoods easy to maintain?

Aside from watering and mulching, growing boxwood is a low maintenance task, unless you wish to keep them as a sheared hedge. Shearing, or pruning of boxwood, is the most time-consuming part of boxwood care when they are grown as a hedge, but you will be rewarded with a healthy, long-lasting hedge.

Eunate Batura

Pundit

How can I get my boxwoods back?

Whether or not a dry boxwood can be saved depends on the reason it is dry.
  1. Water the boxwood just enough to keep the soil moist.
  2. Add a 1-inch layer of mulch over the root zone of the shrub to help retain soil moisture.
  3. Prune out any dead or diseased branches with shears, cutting back to just outside a set of leaves.

Serhii Zheglov

Teacher

How long does a boxwood live?

Messages: 19,822. According to this google search, buxus has a lifespan of several hundred years, you might have other problems. Those box look like they are planted mighty tight to the house.

Safah El Morabit

Teacher

Do boxwoods come in different colors?

The spring flowers are small and green or yellow in color. Korean boxwood grows to about 4 feet in height. Japanese boxwood was first grown in the United States in 1890 and is considered one of the most adaptable species of boxwood available. Japanese Boxwood foliage is dark green and grows to about 1 inch in length.

Bidane Otamendi

Teacher

How do you shape boxwoods?

Pruning Boxwood Shrubs
  1. Step 1 - Remove Dead or Damaged Branches. These will be easily visible when next to growing branches and should be cut at the base of the stem.
  2. Step 2 - Clean up the Interior of the Boxwood.
  3. Step 3 - Thin the Boxwood.
  4. Step 4 - Shape the Boxwood.
  5. Step 5 - Trim all Sides of the Boxwood.

Marlon Kleinmaier

Teacher

What are the different types of boxwood shrubs?

12 Different Types of Boxwood Shrubs
  • English Boxwood.
  • American Boxwood. Dee Runk Boxwood. Fastigiata Boxwood. Vardar Valley Boxwood.
  • Japanese Boxwood. Green Beauty Boxwood. Morris Midget Boxwood. Morris Dwarf Boxwood.
  • Korean Boxwood.
  • Hybrid Boxwood. Green Gem Boxwood. Glencoe Boxwood. Green Mound Boxwood. Green Velvet Boxwood.

Rauda Latesh

Reviewer

Can you keep boxwood small?

Miniature boxwoods generally grow wider than their height. Boxwoods such as Buxus microphylla japonica can be kept to 6 inches tall, although this boxwood grows 4 to 6 feet tall when left unclipped. Use the narrower spacing for a 6-inch-high hedge and the wider spacing for 2-foot-tall hedges.

Uxio Moussaoui

Reviewer

Why are my boxwood shrubs dying?

Poor drainage leads to root rot, which in turn causes parts of the shrub to become light brown and die. You can prune out the dead stuff, but unless you improve the drainage by redirecting excess water or amending the soil with lots of organic matter, the whole plant will eventually croak.

Pieternella Fricken

Reviewer

Do boxwoods need a lot of water?

Watering Boxwood Shrubs
As a general rule, one or two deep waterings per week is plenty during the plant's first year, decreasing to once per week during the shrub's second growing season. Thereafter, watering a boxwood is necessary only during periods of hot, dry weather.

Zuhaitz Kingston

Reviewer

What can I plant next to boxwoods?

Good companion plants with textural contract include thyme, hosta, lady's mantle, lirope, germander, rosemary or sage. Combine boxwood with low-growing shrubs with yellow or dark-colored foliage. This will add both color and texture. If the shrubs flower or produce berries, that creates even more interest.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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1st January, 2020

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