ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Sprinter ® Boxwood . photograph by : Proven Winners .
One of the most various bush , boxwood bring year - round color to the garden . Their evergreen foliage brightens dreary wintertime landscapes , leave complex body part to both schematic and cozy gardens , and can be shape into tightly clip geometric material body or whimsical shapes .
Natural size , conformation , growing charge per unit and hardiness vary between the many types ofboxwood shrubs — some are round off , some dispirited growing and propagate , some upright and some more conical in shape . Their power to recoil back and hold up regular clipping and shearing make them perfect for hedge plant life and topiaries .
On this Sir Frederick Handley Page : Basics|Growing Tips|Care and Maintenance|Pictures|Choose the Right Boxwood|Design Ideas|Boxwood Blight
On this page :
BASICS
Growing Zones:
5 to 9 for most , with a few varieties hardy to Zone 4 .
How big do boxwoods get?
motley set out from 1 to 20 feet tall , 2 to 8 fundament broad .
Do boxwoods like sun or shade?
They prefer fond or dappled shade , but can support full Lord’s Day — light of scorching mid - day sun . Overexposure to sun causes burning and bronzing of leafage . If planting in a bright location , take care for multifariousness that may be more patient of of sun , such as ‘ Morris nanus ’ .
Do boxwoods bloom?
Small , insignificant , scandalmongering - gullible flower bloom in fountain .
Color and characteristics:
in the main grown for their foliage ; their leaf grow opposite , are lance - mold to almost rounded , and are leatherlike to the touch . Many have darker blue - green foliage , others are a paler immature color , and some have variegated leave-taking .
Are boxwoods toxic?
Turkish boxwood bushes comprise an alkaloid that is toxic to dogs , cats and horses , as well as humans . Contact with the sap can make skin irritation . ( See moreCommon Poisonous Plants for Dogs and Cats . )
PLANTING BOXWOOD SHRUBS
When to plant:
flora in fall or late winter to other spring .
Where to plant:
Different varieties have unlike needs , mainly with paying attention to exposure and insensate hardiness , so plant them in a location that is appropriate for that particular variety .
One affair they all have in common is that they do n’t brook standing water or muddy filth , so check that they are in well - drain ground . Plant in an area that provides protection from wintertime wind and summer Lord’s Day which can cause bronzing of the leaf .
How to plant:
The planting hole should allow the treetop of the plant to sit slenderly higher than soil level . Mound up soil to the foot to keep water from pooling . If planted too deeply , they can become stressed and die .
BOXWOOD CARE
When to prune boxwood:
Trimming or shearing encourages new increment and is best done in late spring or summertime . Avoid trim or trim down in downfall or winter , because the new development can be damage by Robert Lee Frost .
Photo by : Mykhailo Pavlenko / Shutterstock .
How to prune boxwood:
When trimming boxwood , do n’t overdo it . While a nice , succinct bush may look healthy on the outside , that dense out leaf ( caused from over pruning ) can keep air and light from get to the inner part of the plant . Thin the outer growth annually so that melody and light can get in , and prune away any dead or diseased branches from the center of the plant . Shearing can be done withhand pruners , hedge clippersorelectric trimmer joist .
Winter care:
Provide extra protection from inhuman temperature and nothingness withburlap wrapper , cosmetic protective cover , or a shelterbelt . Apply a serious bed of mulch to keep the roots insulated ; this will also conserve moisture to forestall dehydration damage from dusty wintertime twist .
If tan of the foliage does occur , defy the temptation to cut it back instantly . The new growth that is remind from abridge wo n’t be any hardy than what was damage , so hold off until bound when new growth can make a comeback .
Soil:
Turkish boxwood bushes are extremely flexible and can adapt to various types of well - drained ground . Ideal soil pH is 6.5 to 7 . For more on right soil preparation and how to adjust your pH if needed , readGarden Soil 101 .
Amendments & fertilizer:
Apply a balanced all - purpose fertilizer in outpouring to promote foliage growth , and again in gloam to boost root ontogeny . Apply the fertilizer throughout the root zone , which run beyond the crown of the industrial plant . Be heedful ; their shallow root word systems can be damaged by over fertilizing .
Watering:
Water freshly planted bush regularly for the first year , particularly during red-hot , teetotal weather . In their second class , radical system are still developing , so continue to irrigate regularly if rain is n’t enough . Once established , they ’re quite drought kind and only need surplus lacrimation during dry turn . urine at the base of the works to keep the foliage dry and economise moisture with a layer of mulch that extends 12 to 15 inch past the foliation line .
Diseases and pests:
Boxwood leaf miners , scurf insects , lesion nematodes , cat and tinge can be a problem ; treat withorganic neem oilorinsecticidal nebuliser . They can also be susceptible topowdery mould , Pythium origin rot , canker sore and leafage fleck . box blight is a serious problem in many state . See below for more information and planting choice .
Deer resistance:
A useful part of adeer - resistant garden , as the same alkaloid that hit them toxic also make them distasteful and can give off a biting aroma , deterring cervid .
BOXWOOD SHRUB VARIETIES
exposure : Proven Winners
Sprinter ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersBuxus microphylla
Zones:
5 - 8
Height/Spread:
2 to 4 foot tall & wide , truehearted grower
Exposure:
Sun or shade
Sprinter ® is an improved form of ' Winter Gem ' , with sheeny leaf year round . Its upright drug abuse makes it perfect for hedgerow and its flying development means it will fill in quickly .
North Star ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersBuxus sempervirens
5 - 9
2 to 3 foot tall & full , moderate grower
This cold hardy American box variety requires little to no pruning and will form a slurred , obtuse hedge . Its dark dark-green foliage will retain ripe wintertime colour .
exposure : DAS Farms
‘ Green Velvet’Buxushybrid
4 - 9
3 to 4 invertebrate foot tall & wide , restrained agriculturist
Partial to full sun
‘ Green Velvet ’ is more stale fearless than other mixed bag . This midget variety show allow for yr - rhythm evergreen color and is pure for dense , low hedges or spheres due to its of course rounded development habit .
Photo by : Garden World Images , Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo .
‘ Green Beauty’Buxus microphyllavar.japonica
4 to 6 feet marvelous , temperate grower
This Japanese boxwood variety can handle heat , humidity and drouth well than other varieties . It is a good choice for create formal shapes .
‘ Green Mountain’Buxushybrid
5 feet tall , 3 animal foot broad , moderate grower
' Green Mountain ' grows course with a cone - shaped habit . work well around instauration or at the back of perennial borders .
‘ Wintergreen ’ Korean box , Korean littleleaf boxwoodBuxus sinicavar.insularis
2 to 4 feet tall , 3 to 5 feet wide , slow grower
This compact bush is normally grow to 2 to 3 feet , but can attain up to 5 infantry over many years . ‘ boxberry ' is an extremely hardy variety good for northerly clime .
exposure by : Vahan Abrahamyan / Shutterstock .
‘ Variegata’Buxus sempervirens
5 to 8 foot grandiloquent , irksome growing
Its motley leaf adds evergreen coloring to topiary , containers and foundation planting .
Photo by : Muller / McPhoto / Alamy Stock Photo .
‘ Suffruticosa ’ Dwarf English boxwoodBuxus sempervirens
1 to 2 feet marvellous & wide , slow growing
A compact , slow raiser arrant for edging , border , topiaries and container . gasconade improved impedance to boxwood leaf mineworker .
‘ Green Gem’Buxushybrid
3 to 4 feet tall & across-the-board , tedious growing
‘ Green Gem ’ is a unadulterated choice for broken hedges , topiary , and foundation planting . Although fearless to Zone 4 , may have some foliage bronzing in frigid winter winds .
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOXWOOD SHRUB
With so many sizes , growth rates and habits it can be tough to make up one’s mind which one is best . Here are a few recommendations :
For topiary and globes , groundcover , orrock gardens : Dwarf English boxwoods influence well because their dense form and obtuse growing charge per unit think of less pruning and maintenance . flying - growers may outgrow their condition quickly and take continual upkeep . ( faculty pick : genus Buxus sempervirensNorth Star ® ,B. sempervirens’Suffruticosa ' andB.‘Green Velvet ’ )
For hedges and edging : Use moderate to fast - growing varieties and plant at half the distance advocate . ( Staff pick : Buxus microphyllaSprinter ® ,B. microphyllavar.japonica‘Green Beauty ’ andB. sinicavar.insularis‘Winter Gem ’ )
For spirals and cones : Use taller , more vigorous plants that have a course conelike or columnar form . ( Staff peck : Buxus‘Green Mountain ’ andB.Green tug )
For cold zones : Korean boxwoods ( B. sinicasvar.insularis ) survive well in lower temperatures , making them the good pick for cold climate gardens .
LANDSCAPE DESIGN TIPS
photograph by : Lee Snider Photo Images / Shutterstock .
One of the most versatile industrial plant in any landscape , the chance to use them are nearly endless . Here are a few idea to get you started :
WHAT ABOUT BOXWOOD BLIGHT?
leaf affect by boxwood blight . Photo Courtesy of A. Windham / University of Tennessee .
What is boxwood blight?
Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that impress the leaves and subdivision of box plants . First reported in the United States in 2011 , it has now been observe in 27 states and continues to spread .
What are the signs of boxwood blight?
One of the first signs is wakeful to dark brown circuit with darker borders on the leave . plant discharge their leaves quickly after being infected , so this stage is often missed . Dark brown to fateful streaks may also seem on stems .
Does boxwood blight kill boxwood shrubs?
The disease does n’t directly affect the roots , so plants may farm back . However , Turkish boxwood blight step down plants and makes them susceptible to other plague and disease . It is these secondary infestations and infections that usually stamp out the plants .
What should I plant instead if blight is a problem in my area?
If you live in an area that is affected , Gem Box ® andStrongbox ® inkberry holliescan be great Turkish boxwood alternatives . Both are native evergreen plant that farm likewise in sizing , build , and texture , and put up full resistance to disease and wintertime damage .
