What is a Japanese boxwood plant?
Japanese boxwood plants can form beautiful hedges around your home. Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with small, leathery, glossy green leaves. Also called Littleleaf Boxwood, this species among the most cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and easy-to-grow of all ornamental boxwood.
What is the difference between English boxwood and wild boxwood?
The foliage of the wild plant is a duller green than the English boxwood, and the growth is slower, but in improved varieties like ‘Wintergreen’ the plants are dense, with good winter foliage and they are very hardy. For low hedges in cold areas, ‘Franklin’s Gem’ is hard to beat. Hybrid boxwood
What is Japanese boxwood engraving?
Japanese Boxwood Also known as littleleaf box, Japanese boxwood (Buxus Microphylla) is an evergreen shrub that has a slow growth rate like English boxwood. While it is a slow-growing plant, the shrub is tolerant of prunes and can be used for engraving purposes.
How many types of boxwood shrubs are there?
12 Different Types of Boxwood Shrubs. 1 English Boxwood. English boxwood is often referred to as dwarf boxwood due to its slow growth rate. While it is a slow-growing plant, English boxwood ... 2 American Boxwood. 3 Japanese Boxwood. 4 Korean Boxwood. 5 Hybrid Boxwood.
How do you identify English boxwoods?
English boxwood is rounded, and the overall shape of the plant is similar to a cloud. English boxwood is an evergreen and blooms during the spring. American boxwood, also known as common boxwood, is a small tree that grows to 10 feet in height, although some older plants can grow up to 20 feet.
Which type of boxwood is best?
The first is Japanese Boxwood, Buxus microphylla, which is usually available in dwarf forms, growing slowly to just a few feet in height. It is also known as littleleaf boxwood, and it is the most reliable form for hot areas, growing well in zones 9 and 10, although it is also hardy to zone 6.
What is the most hardy boxwood?
insularis are considered the hardiest of all boxwood. Buxus semper- virens, common box, is hardy to zone 6 (Krussmann 1984) and has a greater stature than the preceding species. The large, dark green leaves remain evergreen all year.
Does Japanese boxwood stay green in winter?
Japanese Boxwood is generally cold-hardy in Zones 5-9, with some cultivars being more cold-tolerant than others. While many types turn a bit yellow-bronze in the wintertime, most foliage returns to its green color in the spring.
What is the greenest boxwood?
Some boxwoods that are prized for retaining their green color throughout most winters are 'Wintergreen', 'Green Velvet', 'Green Mountain', and 'Glencoe'.
What is the fastest growing boxwood?
The Sprinter boxwood is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that requires little care. It provides year-round color and can be used as a low hedge or along garden beds.
What is the most popular boxwood?
15 Boxwood Types (The Most Popular Ones)Small Leaved Cultivars (Buxus microphylla) Grace Hendrick Phillips. Compacta. ... Japanese Cultivars (Buxus microphylla var. Japonica) Green Beauty. ... Korean Cultivars (Buxus sinica var. insularis) Nana. ... Common Cultivars (Buxus sempervirens) American Cultivar. ... Hybrid Cultivars. Glencoe.
How big do English boxwoods get?
2 to 3 feet tallThese easy to grow densely woody evergreen rounded shrubs reach 2 to 3 feet tall, 2 to 4 feet wide. It grows best in evenly moist, well-drained loamy soil in full sun to part shade.
What is the best boxwood for a hedge?
Best Boxwoods As Border HedgesBuxus microphylla japonica 'Gregem'Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'Buxus x 'Green Mountain'Buxus x 'Green Velvet'Buxus sempervirens 'Aureo-variegata'Buxus microphylla japonica 'Winter Gem'Buxus microphylla 'Wintergreen'
Can Japanese boxwood take full sun?
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out.
Do Japanese boxwoods smell?
Yes, boxwoods do have a scent; it's caused when the sun heats the oil in their leaves.
What type of boxwood stays small?
Small-Leaved Boxwood The 'Compacta' cultivar, also sometimes called 'Kingsville Dwarf,' is the smallest boxwood variety. It grows very slowly, adding about 1/2 inch in height each year, and reaches a mature height of about a foot. Its leaves, at 1/2 inch long, are exceptionally small, too.
Which boxwoods stay green in winter?
Green Mountain Boxwood: A Very cold hardy and stands up to heavy snowfall without damage. Green mountain grows in a pyramid shape up to 4 to 5 feet tall at maturity. Green Velvet Boxwood: A very compact and dense boxwood shrub. Typically reaches up to 3 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide.
What kind of boxwood do you use for hedges?
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.
What type of boxwood does Costco sell?
The Wintergreen Boxwood shrub is best known for its hedging abilities and looks perfect planted along a fence line or as a shrub border. Low maintenance and evergreen, this easy to care for shrub will withstand cold temperatures and remain attractive and green all year long. Product Details: Type: Shrub.
What is the difference between winter gem and wintergreen boxwood?
What's the difference between Winter Gem and Wintergreen Boxwood shrubs? Winter Gem has a duller green leaf structure. The other biggest difference is tolerance of sun. Winter Gem prefers full to part sun where Wintergreen Boxwood shrubs do better in shade.
How big do English boxwoods get?
The shrub is admired for its lovely thickly packed, light-green leaves which grow in a round form. The plant is able to reach up to three feet at maturity; however, different varieties tend to possess different growth size. With the help of pruning, all types of English boxwoods can be maintained. The roots of English boxwood are shallow and hence they must be protected against excessive heat.
How tall do Korean boxwoods get?
Botanically named Buxus Sinica Insularis, Korean boxwoods are a broadleaf evergreen plant which grows upright for about 2 feet tall. As they mature, the shrub tends to become wider in shape rather than taller and produce an open-branch structure. Like many other boxwoods, they are a highly dense plant, covered with evergreen leaves.
Why is it important to plant Korean boxwoods?
It is important to choose a place that gets partial sunlight and have wet, loamy soils. The evergreen foliage may need protection against desiccation – the absence of moisture during winters. Hence it is important to cultivate Korean boxwoods where they can be protected against chilling winter winds.
What is boxwood shrub?
Gardens and Landscaping / Shrubs. Learn more about the most popular landscaping bush and discover the different types of boxwood that you can incorporate into your formal or informal garden for that wow factor. Also known as box or Buxus, boxwood (buxus sempervirens) is one of the most popular genuses in the Buxaceae family which comprises 70 ...
How tall does American boxwood grow?
Also known as common boxwood, American boxwood can grow up to 10 feet in height; some of them can grow up to 20 feet as well.
Why is my boxwood turning yellow?
It is also important to address the common problem that English boxwood usually faces – “winter bronzing” This is the result of a change in green foliage to reddish-brown to ultimately yellow color due to the drying effect of sun and wind over the plant.
How many varieties of boxwood are there?
Research shows that there are over 200 boxwood varieties; out of which 140 of them are available for commercial use by the cultivators. In this blog post, we’ve compiled all those common boxwood varieties that are popularly used all over the world for stunning landscape projects.
How tall does Japanese Boxwood grow?
Growth Potential. The Japanese Boxwood is a compact and dense shrub that will grow to about eight feet tall and spread about six feet. The Common Boxwood also has dense growth, but can grow into a small tree, and can be up to 30 feet tall.
What type of soil does Japanese Boxwood need?
Soil Requirements. The Japanese Boxwood thrives in alkaline soils. The Common Boxwood requires a rich, slightly acidic soil. The roots of the Japanese Boxwood go deeper than those of the Common Boxwood, which are often so shallow that they break the surface.
Why are my boxwood leaves turning brown?
Both plants are evergreen, but the Common Boxwood is more affected by cold winds and the leaves can turn brown after exposure to a dry cold wind. In severe cases the leaves may fall and replacements will be slow to appear. This could adversely affect the shape of the shrub.
Do Japanese boxwoods need gloves?
Gardeners with sensitive skin should always wear gloves when pruning the Japanese Boxwood because the leaves contain steroidal alkaloids and exposure to the sap from the leaves or stems can cause skin irritation. In reality, these two Boxwoods are interchangeable for most gardeners and will perform equally well.
Can Japanese boxwood be planted outdoors?
Propagation of both varieties is by cuttings, and the weather-coping capabilities of the Japanese Boxwood means cuttings can be safely planted outdoors (even before the last frost). Continue reading below Our Video of the Day.
Can boxwoods be cut?
Boxwoods make excellent hedging plants, as they grow densely and can be cut to just about any shape. Both shrubs can be trained into particular growth patterns and can be trimmed regularly to maintain the shape. This makes them ideal for topiary work.
Is Japanese Boxwood good for shade?
This makes them ideal for topiary work. The Japanese Boxwood can cope well with light shade, but the Common Boxwood better copes with heavy shade, which makes it an ideal shrub for darker corners of a garden where little else will flourish.
What is a compact shrub?
A naturally compact and mounded shrub that’s wider than tall, very uniform in habit; dark bluish-green evergreen foliage and slightly contorted branches give it a very distinctive appearance, takes pruning very well.
Do boxwoods need pruning?
One of the smallest and most compact boxwoods you’re going to find, this forms a tight and dense little mound of small bluish-green evergreen foliage, wider than tall, no pruning necessary to keep it in bounds in your garden.
Is boxwood cold tolerant?
Most American boxwood cultivars are cold tolerant, with leaves that are rather long ovals with more pointed tips. English boxwood, Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’, is a dwarf boxwood and is technically a form of American boxwood. It is a dense variety with more oval leaves.
Is a boxwood a good hedge?
Has a more columnar habit than other boxwoods; its narrow shape makes it ideal for formal hedges or topiary or for vertical accent; slow growing; takes pruning exceptionally well.
Is broadleaf evergreen a good hedge?
A broadly mounded hybrid of this broadleaf evergreen that takes pruning exceptionally well; very versatile in the landscape, makes a great low hedge, also useful for topiary.
How tall does Japanese boxwood grow?
Japanese boxwood, on the other hand, grows as a shrub, from 1- to 12-feet tall depending on the species, with insignificant flowers in April and May.
What is the difference between Japanese boxwood and wintergreen?
Growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, wintergreen is a low-maintenance plant, while Japanese boxwood, which grows in USDA zones 3 through 9 depending on the cultivar, can be a bit finicky plant to grow.
Why are my boxwood leaves turning brown?
Boxwood leaves stay green all year but sometimes are scorched and turn brown if the plant gets too much sun in either summer or winter. Get the Best Mortgage Rate for You | SmartAsset.com. Loading.
Can boxwood be a pest?
It can get infestations from aphids or thrips that you can wash away with a spray from the hose, and it will suffer from mildew and leaf spot if humidity levels rise from evening watering or soil that is too damp. Like wintergreen, boxwood doesn’t have significant pest or disease problems.
How tall does boxwood grow?
Perhaps because it was brought to America as long ago as 1653, it is often called American boxwood. This shrub can grow to 10 feet tall, and is a great choice for a taller hedge, or for taller clipped specimens. The English boxwood is a dwarf variety of the same species, Buxus sempervirens‘Suffruticosa’.
How tall is European boxwood?
It is the perfect choice for a low hedge, 8 to 18 inches tall, that could edge flower beds or pathways. It can also be clipped into small globes. The problem with European boxwood is that it is not especially resistant to either cold or heat, so it grows best in zones 6 to 8.
What kind of boxwood is used in gardens?
Choosing the right plant is easy, once you know a little about the main types. American and English boxwood. There are two main kinds of boxwood used in gardens, as well as hybrids between these two main plants. The first and probably most important is the European boxwood, Buxus sempervirens.
What is boxwood used for?
It has endless uses around the garden, but it is especially useful for making geometric shapes and hedges, as it thrives on regular trimming. It can be clipped into balls, cones, cubes and a whole host of shapes to decorate your garden. These add interest and structure to the garden, giving the eye firm shapes to hold onto in the chaos irregularity often seen in disorganized gardens. Using hedges of all sizes to create simple geometry, such as squares and circles, on the ground, has the same effect on the anarchy of plants as a frame does around a Jackson Pollock painting. It brings control and restraint, and shows the human hand in the garden.
What is the best boxwood for hot areas?
The first is Japanese Boxwood, Buxus microphylla, which is usually available in dwarf forms, growing slowly to just a few feet in height. It is also known as littleleaf boxwood, and it is the most reliable form for hot areas, growing well in zones 9 and 10, although it is also hardy to zone 6.
What is the second Asian species?
The second Asian species of importance is the Korean, or Chinese boxwood. Today it is correctly known as Buxus sinicavar. insularis, but in older material it is often listed as Buxus microphyllavar. koreana. These two names in fact refer to the same plant, but their usage creates a lot of confusion.
What tree can you use to make bonsai?
Another idea could be an olive tree, which also trims well and develops a good trunk. It is used a lot for giant ‘bonsai’ in Spain and Italy. You can use stakes to arrange the trunk of trees like this exactly as you want it. April 12, 2020by Cynthia Thomas .
What is a Japanese boxwood?
Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with small, leathery, glossy green leaves. Also called Littleleaf Boxwood, this species among the most cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and easy-to-grow of all ornamental boxwood.
How tall does a Japanese boxwood grow?
Most Japanese Boxwood shrubs grow to about 3 feet (1 meter) tall and 3 feet (1 meter) wide, although there are both shorter and taller cultivars available. Littleleaf boxwood plants have dense branches and tend to create a naturally-rounded shape as they grow.
How to treat root rot on boxwood?
The best way to deal with a root rot problem is to avoid having one in the first place. The most important thing is to plant the shrubs in well-draining soil and to not overwater your plants. Boxwood can recover from root rot, but only if the issues with soggy, wet soil are fixed promptly.
How to deal with boxwood blight?
The best way to deal with boxwood blight is to prevent it from entering the landscape. You’ll want to buy your boxwood plants from nurseries that participate in a blight compliance agreement and are considered to be reputable.
What diseases can damage Japanese boxwood?
While the Japanese boxwood is a hardy plant, it can be damaged by various plant diseases and pests, including boxwood psyllid, boxwood leaf minor, boxwood mite, nematodes and phytophthora root rot.
Why are my boxwood leaves turning yellow?
Sometimes the leaves of young Japanese Boxwood plants look yellow-gold in the spring. This is called “bronzing” and is a result of harsh winter conditions.
What type of soil do Japanese boxwoods prefer?
Japanese Boxwood plants are tolerant to varying soil types, but prefer well-draining, loamy soil. They will grow in alkaline soils, but prefer acidic to neutral soil.
Japanese Holly vs Boxwoods
Hope this isn't too basic a question for this forum, but I am having a hard time telling the difference between Japanese hollies and some boxwoods. They both seem to have the same size/shape leaf and petiole, similar color, growth patterns, clippable. So I am foxed.
Comments (2)
Katy, I note that you have recently moved to the south. As a northener you have an interesting learning curve ahead. To answer your question....Boxwood has an opposite leaf pattern and all hollies have alternating leaf patterns. Also, in the heat of day you will notice a distinctive foxy or cat urine odor eminating from the boxwood.
What is the browning of boxwood?
While the browning and defoliation of boxwood is a key symptom of boxwood blight , there are a number of other look-alike plant problems.
What happens to boxwood in the winter?
It becomes apparent as the snow recedes and the uppermost or outermost leaves and stems on the boxwoods are brown. Buxus sempervirens is typically hardy down to USDA Zone 5. Plants are especially susceptible to winter damage in temperatures below -10 degrees Fahrenheit, especially in locations next to pavement or siding of the house with direct sunlight that warms the tissue up too quickly. Winter damage is especially distinctive in that the growth below the former snowline is still green. As long as the damage is not overly severe, growers can just prune out or prune off the damaged foliage.
What is boxwood blight?
Boxwood blight ( Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is a fungal pathogen of species in the plant family Buxaceae, which includes the popular boxwood, sweetbox and Pachysandra spp. In boxwood, often the first symptom noticed is a large amount of rapid defoliation (leaf drop), which is indicative of a severe infection.
Why is my boxwood turning white?
If the weather is humid, the underside of the leaf will have a white, frosty appearance caused by the formation of upright bundles of fungal spores. For pictures of these symptoms, see “ Preventing the spread of boxwood blight in landscapes .”. However, there are numerous reasons for defoliation and browning of boxwood plants.
Why are my boxwood leaves turning brown?
The infested leaves will develop brown patches as the larvae grow and heavily infested leaves will defoliate in the late fall and early spring. Boxwood leafminer larvae feed on the inner tissue of boxwood leaves causing the browning of leaves of boxwood plants.
Why is my boxwood yellow?
Drought stress of boxwood plants can cause the yellowing and necrosis of foliage. Photo by Jan Byrne, MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics.
How does salt affect boxwoods?
Salt used for sidewalks and roadways can cause damage to boxwoods. First, the spray of the salt water on the foliage can cause the plant to desiccate in those tissues, killing the leaves on one side of the plant. Excessive salt washed into the soil can also change the water uptake of the plant, causing salt damage. In these cases, it is most identifiable when there is a pattern where the boxwoods closest to walking surfaces show the worst damage. It is also noticed in spring.
Weather Tolerance
Growth Potential
- The Japanese Boxwood is a compact and dense shrub that will grow to about eight feet tall and spread about six feet. The Common Boxwood also has dense growth, but can grow into a small tree, and can be up to 30 feet tall. It is unusual to see Common Boxwoods as tall as that in gardens, but this capability is often used to produce irregular profiles in hedges. Generally, neith…
Soil Requirements
- The Japanese Boxwood thrives in alkaline soils. The Common Boxwood requires a rich, slightly acidic soil. The roots of the Japanese Boxwood go deeper than those of the Common Boxwood, which are often so shallow that they break the surface. In warm weather, the Common Boxwood needs to be watered regularly and benefits from a layer of mulch over the roots to help keep the…
Flowering
- Both Boxwoods produce tiny whitish flowers and small fruit. The flowers and fruit are of little value because neither Boxwood grows quickly from seed.
Evergreen
- Both plants are evergreen, but the Common Boxwood is more affected by cold winds and the leaves can turn brown after exposure to a dry cold wind. In severe cases the leaves may fall and replacements will be slow to appear. This could adversely affect the shape of the shrub.
Uses
- Boxwoods make excellent hedging plants, as they grow densely and can be cut to just about any shape. Both shrubs can be trained into particular growth patterns and can be trimmed regularly to maintain the shape. This makes them ideal for topiary work. The Japanese Boxwood can cope well with light shade, but the Common Boxwood better copes with heavy shade, which makes it …
Problems
- Neither shrub has particular problems from a gardening point of view. Both will establish themselves well, and will produce a very attractive hedge or garden highlight throughout the winter. Gardeners with sensitive skin should always wear gloves when pruning the Japanese Boxwood because the leaves contain steroidal alkaloids and exposure to the sap from the leave…
Tip
- Expert gardening advisor Karen Thurber adds, "There are many cultivar and varieties of Boxwood. Some plants will only grow as tall as four feet over 50 years, while others may have a slightly different color, or be better suited for cold climates. Do some research before buying, to select the correct plant for your location."