Common Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
ShrubAbout Common Boxwood
Common Boxwood is a dense, broadleaf evergreen shrub widely used for formal hedges, topiaries, and foundation plantings. It has been cultivated in gardens for centuries and is valued for its fine-textured foliage and tolerance of heavy pruning. Many cultivars are available with varying sizes and forms.
Quick Facts
How to Identify Common Boxwood
- Small, oval, glossy, dark green evergreen leaves arranged in opposite pairs
- Dense, compact, rounded habit
- Light tan to gray bark on mature stems
- Inconspicuous small yellow-green flowers in spring
- Distinctive pungent scent, especially when foliage is wet or pruned
Care Guide
- Prune in late spring after new growth has hardened off
- Water regularly; boxwood is sensitive to drought stress
- Mulch to keep roots cool, but avoid piling mulch against stems
- Monitor closely for boxwood blight and boxwood leafminer
- Thin interior growth annually to improve air circulation
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