Buxus sempervirens (Common box)

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Species

B. sempervirens is a large, but slow-growing evergreen shrub. The small, glossy oval leaves form a dense mass, with inconspicuous, yellowish flowers in late spring.

Season of interest

Flower
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Flower
Foliage
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Foliage

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Height and spread Metric \| Imperial
Size	Max height	Max spread	To maturity
8 m	8 m	10-20 years
26 ft	26 ft	10-20 years

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Size

Max height

Max spread

To maturity

8 m

10-20 years

26 ft

10-20 years

Where to grow

Soil

Soil type

Chalky
Clay
Loamy
Sandy

Soil drainage

Moist but well-drained
Well-drained

Soil pH

Acid
Alkaline
Neutral

Conditions

Sunlight

Partial Shade
Full Shade

Aspect

East
West
South
North

Exposure

Exposed
Sheltered

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Additional plant details

Cultivation

Plant in well-drained soil in partial shade. Avoid scorch by sun and strong winds. If using for topiary or hedging, plant young plants just below the nursery soil mark to encourage growth from the base.

Suggested uses

Banks and Slopes, Ground Cover, Containers/Patio, Architectural, Mediterranean, Drought Tolerant, Hedging/Screens, Garden edging, Instant, Foliage only, Topiary

UK hardiness

USDA zones

Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10

Sunset zone

3B, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Moderate/Medium
Central Valley = Moderate/Medium
South Coastal = Moderate/Medium
South Inland = Inappropriate
High and Intermediate Desert = Moderate/Medium
Low Desert = Moderate/Medium

Foliage

Evergreen

Habit

Compact

Native to

Europe, Northern Africa, Turkey

Drought tolerant

Yes

Flood tolerant

Toxicity

Ingestion may cause stomach upset; contact may irritate the skin.

Plant care

Pruning and propagation

Pruning

As an informal hedge, box requires little pruning. Be guided by the natural habit of this plant. Keep plants to the desired size by pruning back long shoots. Hedging plants and topiary can be cut back hard when young to encourage bushy growth.

Propagation methods

Semi-hardwood cuttings

Pests and diseases

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (43)

Buxus

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Buxus sempervirens (any variety) Box (any variety)

Buxus 'Glencoe' Box 'Glencoe'

Buxus 'Green Velvet' Box 'Green Velvet'

Buxus sempervirens 'Arborescens' Box 'Arborescens'

Buxus balearica Balearic box

Buxus sempervirens 'Elegantissima' Box 'Elegantissima'

Buxus sempervirens 'Latifolia Maculata' Box 'Latifolia Maculata'

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' Box 'Suffruticosa'

Buxus microphylla 'Herrenhausen' Small-leaved box 'Herrenhausen'

Buxus microphylla Small-leaved box

Buxus sempervirens 'Marginata' Box 'Marginata'

Buxus sempervirens 'Argenteovariegata' Variegated common boxwood

Buxus sempervirens Common box

Buxus sempervirens 'Rotundifolia' Box 'Rotundifolia'

Buxus microphylla var. japonica Japanese boxwood

Buxus sinica var. insularis 'Green Mountain' Boxwood 'Green Mountain'

Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Winter Gem' Japanese boxwood 'Winter Gem'

Buxus sempervirens clipped cone Box clipped cone

Buxus 'North Star' Box 'North Star'

Buxus microphylla 'Little Missy' Small-leaved box 'Little Missy'

Buxus sempervirens 'Graham Blandy' Box 'Graham Blandy'

Buxus sempervirens 'Blauer Heinz' Box 'Blauer Heinz'

Buxus sempervirens 'Dee Runk' Box 'Dee Runk'

Buxus sempervirens 'Liberty' Box 'Liberty'

Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Baby Gem' Japanese boxwood 'Baby Gem'

Companion plants (0)

Related content

Discuss this plant

Re: Cydalima perspectalis

Walter van Rijn

395 0

Hi Mahendra, in the UK they sell a Both Moth trap with pheromone lures that catches the male moth. I have seen it also in the Netherlands so you might well find it in Belgium. It works very well for my Box plants. It needs to be placed in the same area as the Box in end of March/beginning of April. Good luck.

Posted: Tuesday 23rd of March 2021 05:40 PM

Re: Cydalima perspectalis

Paul Lupton Garden Services

395 0

Yes it’s every where in London - lots of spraying helps Zen Tari - Never buy or plant box is my recommendation if you have any suspicion that box moth caterpillar ???? is in your area

This and box blight have made this plant almost too care intensive to bother with - I have saved boxes I work on but it is a lot of work

Posted: Monday 1st of March 2021 11:28 AM

Re: Cydalima perspectalis

Joanne du Plessis

395 0

I understand it has come over here and is spreading. The moth has devastated lots of Box hedging in the London area. I am keeping a close eye on mine and have Xen Tari ready just in case. Its a terrible curse!

Posted: Sunday 29th of July 2018 06:54 PM

Cydalima perspectalis

Mahendra Patel

395 3

Has anyone encountered this moth / larvae infestation ? Here in Belgium, it's widespread and devastated many Buxus

Posted: Monday 7th of May 2018 02:49 PM Last reply: Friday 28th of February 2025 09:02 PM

Re: speed up

Clockhouse Nursery

1313 0

Simple answer...no not really. Although buxus is quite a greedy plant, over feeding can result in problems. Just keeping them as healthy as possible will give you the best results. Feed with a slow release pelleted feed such as Osmocote, once a year or a liquid feed such as Miracle gro (also acts as a folia feed, which gets taken in through leaves & roots) every fortnight through growing season. You could also consider a specialist buxus feed such as Topbuxus "Health-Mix" which has the perfect balance of nutrients for buxus. This can only be used 3 times a year.
After all is said and done, patience is the best thing for a box hedge. Once the roots are established, in a good year, you should achieve between 2-5 inches of growth per year.
If you wanted a quicker hedge, box may not have been the best choice. The only way to 'cheat' would have been to buy larger specimens in the first place, which of course, would have been a lot more expensive.
Best of luck....stick with it.

Posted: Wednesday 5th of November 2014 08:18 AM

speed up

Radoil

1313 1

Hi there, i got hadge of buxus sempervirens, and i want to speed up it growing rate.Can i achive this with some fertilizer or something like that.
Thank you and have a nice day!

Posted: Wednesday 5th of November 2014 05:15 AM Last reply: Wednesday 23rd of April 2025 10:58 AM