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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