Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Boxwood Plant Profile

Boxwood Plant Profile

Boxwood (Buxus species) is an evergreen shrub that has been grown ornamentally for thousands of years. It is used in the landscape as an edging, in containers, in mass groupings, and as a single specimen plant.

Boxwood can be fast-growing or slow. They also come in many different shapes from upright and columnar to round and full. There are varieties that have longer leaves, variegated foliage, and even miniature ones.

Avoid English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’), if your nose objects to the strong boxwood scent. The other boxwood species are fairly scent-free.

The best time to plant boxwood is in the early spring or early fall. It prefers a neutral soil pH between 6.5 – 7.0. After planting, make sure to water the shrub consistently. However, boxwood hate soggy roots, so don’t plant them in wet areas or near downspouts.

Don’t plant boxwood too close to your home’s foundation or right next to sidewalk and driveway edges either. They will need room to spread and grow. They also have shallow root systems and do not like anything planted under them. It is best to mulch lightly and never use stone or marble chips around them.

Boxwood is fairly deer-resistant, but has some disease and insect pressures. For a healthier planting, choose a boxwood variety from the newer blight-resistant introductions. You will need to also periodically thin the plant’s interior growth to assure good air circulation and sunlight gets inside.

You can see extensive boxwood collections at public gardens in the Mid-Atlantic region such as the National Boxwood Collection at the US National Arboretum and the more than 160 boxwood cultivars on display the Virginia State Arboretum at Blandy. You can find out more about boxwood at the American Boxwood Society’s website: boxwoodsociety.org.

Boxwood: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Video and editing by Jessica Harden

Audio and text by Kathy Jentz

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