Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with dense, broadleaf foliage that has anchored formal gardens since ancient times. The genus Buxus holds more than 100 species, hybrids, and cultivars, which makes it one of the most versatile plants in a landscape designer’s toolkit. Its clipped geometry has inspired a modern approach to stately residential architecture and design, where green walls take the place of masonry.
Boxwood shrubs are low-maintenance, which explains their staying power. They tolerate pruning well, accept a wide range of soil pH, and live for decades when sited correctly. This article walks through what a boxwood is, how to care for one, twenty popular types worth planting, and the problems to plan around.
What Is a Boxwood?
A boxwood is a shrub in the Buxus genus. Species, hybrids, and cultivars vary in height, shape, growth rate, leaf size, heat tolerance, cold tolerance, lighting preferences, pest and disease resistance, and salt tolerance. The two groups you will meet most often are the common or English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and the littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla), along with the Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis) prized for cold hardiness.
The plant has been in cultivation for thousands of years. Romans shaped it into topiary, and the formal gardens of Versailles used long clipped hedges to define outdoor rooms. That history explains why boxwood still reads as a structural, architectural plant rather than a casual shrub.
| Species | Native range | Typical height | Cold hardiness | Growth rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English or common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) | Europe, North Africa, West Asia | 5 to 15 feet | Zones 5 to 8 | Moderate |
| Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis) | Korea and China | 2 to 4 feet | Zones 4 to 8 | Slow |
| Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica) | Japan | 4 to 6 feet | Zones 6 to 9 | Moderate |
| Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) | Japan and Korea | 3 to 4 feet | Zones 5 to 9 | Slow to moderate |
Landscape architects treat boxwood as structural planting, and the plant has given its name to residences praised as a modern masterpiece of residential design and construction.
How to Care for Boxwoods
Boxwood is easy to grow, with one cardinal rule: do not plant it too deeply. The root system is shallow, and burying the trunk invites rot.
Planting Depth and Soil
Set the plant at the same depth it grew in the nursery container, with the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil. The shrub prefers evenly moist, well-drained soil but tolerates a pH range from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Heavy clay benefits from compost worked in or a raised bed.
Watering and Mulch
Give new plants about an inch of water per week for the first season. Established plants tolerate dry spells but look best with consistent moisture. A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch keeps the soil cool and even, but keep mulch off the trunk. Overwatering is the most common care mistake.
Signs of Overwatering
Yellowing leaves, soggy soil, and branch dieback all point to too much water. Root rot follows quickly in dense, wet soil, so let the top few inches dry between waterings.
Pruning Basics
The bush responds well to pruning, which is why it dominates neatly trimmed hedges. Shear lightly in late spring after the first flush of growth, thin older plants to open the interior, and stop shearing by late summer so new growth hardens before frost. Disinfect tools between plants to avoid spreading disease. Roundups that rank the best types of boxwood shrubs for different climates and uses appear regularly in the gardening press, and they are worth reading before you buy.
20 Popular Boxwood Types for Landscaping
The cultivars below cover the range of mature heights, growth rates, and hardiness zones you will find at garden centers. Sizes are mature dimensions after many years; boxwoods grow slowly, so a hedge takes patience.
Tall and Fast-Growing Types
- American boxwood (Buxus sempervirens): 5 to 15 feet tall, the classic hedge species, hardy in zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Fastigiata’: narrow column to about 10 feet, suited to tight hedges and accent planting, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Dee Runk’: upright column to 8 feet, zones 6 to 8.
- ‘Graham Blandy’: 8 to 10 feet tall and only 2 feet wide, a strong vertical accent, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Green Mountain’: conical habit to 5 to 7 feet, one of the most dependable for cold climates, zones 4 to 9.
Dwarf and Slow-Growing Types
- English boxwood ‘Suffruticosa’: 2 to 4 feet, the classic edging plant for parterres, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Green Gem’: rounded mound to 2 feet, zones 4 to 9.
- ‘Morris Dwarf’: 1 to 2 feet with fine texture, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Morris Midget’: roughly 1 foot, ideal for rock gardens and containers, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘North Star’: globe to 2 to 2.5 feet, very cold hardy, zones 4 to 9.
- ‘Justin Brouwers’: 2 to 3 feet, slow and dense, zones 5 to 9.
Cold-Hardy and Variegated Types
- ‘Winter Gem’: 2 to 4 feet with excellent cold hardiness, zones 4 to 9.
- ‘Wintergreen’: 2 to 4 feet, keeps color through winter, zones 4 to 9.
- ‘Vardar Valley’: low 2 to 3 foot mound, zones 5 to 8.
- ‘Golden Triumph’: 3 to 4 feet with gold-edged leaves, zones 5 to 9.
- ‘Elegantissima’: 4 to 6 feet with cream-edged leaves, zones 6 to 8.
- ‘Green Velvet’: rounded 3 to 4 feet, a reliable hybrid, zones 4 to 9.
Three species complete the twenty. Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica) reaches 4 to 6 feet in zones 6 to 9, Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis) stays 2 to 4 feet and shrugs off zone 4 winters, and littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) covers 3 to 4 feet in zones 5 to 9.
| Cultivar | Mature size | Hardiness | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Green Mountain’ | 5 to 7 feet, cone | Zones 4 to 9 | Privacy hedge, topiary |
| ‘Green Velvet’ | 3 to 4 feet | Zones 4 to 9 | Rounded hedge |
| ‘Winter Gem’ | 2 to 4 feet | Zones 4 to 9 | Cold climates |
| ‘Suffruticosa’ | 2 to 4 feet | Zones 5 to 8 | Edging, parterre |
| ‘Fastigiata’ | 8 to 10 feet, column | Zones 5 to 8 | Narrow hedge, accent |
| ‘Morris Midget’ | 1 foot | Zones 5 to 8 | Rock garden, container |
| ‘Dee Runk’ | 8 feet, column | Zones 6 to 8 | Column accent |
| ‘Golden Triumph’ | 3 to 4 feet | Zones 5 to 9 | Color accent |
Deer rarely browse boxwood, but in high-pressure areas you still want to know how to deer-proof shrubs and protect your landscape before planting a hedge you plan to keep for decades.
Choosing the Right Boxwood for Your Landscape
Match the cultivar to the job. Five questions narrow the field: how tall should it get, how fast should it grow, how cold is your winter, how much sun does the spot receive, and is salt a factor.
Match Height to Purpose
Privacy hedges need the tall upright types; edging and parterres want the dwarfs; foundation plantings sit in the middle. Space hedge plants 2 to 3 feet apart and specimen plants much wider.
Cold and Heat Tolerance
Check the USDA zone before buying. ‘Winter Gem’ and ‘Green Mountain’ carry zone 4 hardiness, while ‘Green Beauty’ and ‘Justin Brouwers’ handle summer heat better. Microclimates matter: a sheltered south wall is warmer than an open north slope.
Sun and Salt Exposure
Boxwood grows in full sun to part shade, with afternoon shade preferred in hot regions. Some cultivars tolerate salt spray and road salt, which makes them workable for coastal gardens and driveway edges. A practical guide to deer-proofing your shrubs covers fencing heights and repellent schedules that protect both new and established plants.
Planting, Pruning, and Transplanting
Planting Steps
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper.
- Set the plant at nursery depth, with the root ball top level with the ground.
- Backfill with native soil, firming gently to remove air pockets.
- Water deeply and let it settle.
- Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch, keeping it off the trunk.
- Water weekly through the first season.
Pruning for Shape
Shear lightly after the spring flush, remove dead or crossing wood, and thin dense interiors for airflow. Skip fall shearing so tender new growth does not get burned over winter.
Transplanting Established Shrubs
Early spring and early fall are the safest windows for moving boxwoods. Root-prune a season ahead by slicing through roots around the drip line, then dig a wide, shallow root ball and keep it wrapped and moist until replanting. The essential steps for a healthy move matter most when you transplant shrubs, and boxwoods tolerate relocation better than most evergreens.
Common Boxwood Problems and How to Prevent Them
Overwatering and Root Rot
The most common boxwood failure is too much water. Roots drown, leaves yellow, and branches die back. Improve drainage, mulch lightly, and let the soil dry between waterings.
Boxwood Blight
Leaf spots, black stem lesions, and rapid defoliation are the signs of boxwood blight, a fungal disease that spreads in wet conditions. Space plants for airflow, avoid overhead watering, remove infected debris, and disinfect tools between plants. Some cultivars show better resistance than others.
Leafminer and Mites
Yellow blisters on leaves point to boxwood leafminer; stippling and fine webbing point to mites. Prune infested growth, encourage natural predators, and apply horticultural oil when populations build.
Winter Burn
Brown or orange leaves in late winter usually mean wind and frozen soil dried the foliage. Protect exposed sites with burlap, water before hard freezes, and consider an anti-desiccant spray.
Working Around Construction
When construction is planned near a hedge, review moving shrubs before construction starts and follow a practical relocation guide that covers digging, wrapping, watering, and temporary storage.