Buxus sempervirens – Box Hedging
Buxus sempervirens – Pot Grown
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Sizes Supplied | Item Price (£) + VAT | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 12-15cm | 1.75 | P9 |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 15-20cm | 2.50 | P11 |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 20-25cm | 3.50 | P14 |
Buxus sempervirens – Bare Root & Root Ball
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Sizes Supplied | Item Price (£) + VAT | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 15-20cm | POA | BR |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 30-40cm | POA | BR |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 40-50cm | POA | RB |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 60-70cm | POA | RB |
| Buxus sempervirens | Common Box | 70-80cm | POA | RB |
Key: RB = Root Ball | BR = Bare Root | (Available November to March)
Details / Key Facts
This has long been a favourite among gardeners. Its compact, dense structure which is easily trimmed and shaped makes it ideal for a small hedge. This is our native common box and the largest of group of boxwoods, having more cultivators than all the other species of boxwood combined. It has dense, green foliage and is highly prized for its wood. Perfect for topiary work as well as hedging, the typical common box used for topiary has small pointed leaves and is a deep green colour. Before clipping, Buxus sempervirens grows 6-8″ per year when young, after clipping, this slows to approximately 1-2″ per year.
Family – Buxaceae
Genus – Buxus can be evergreen shrubs or small trees, with simple, leathery, opposite leaves and clusters of small, pale yellow flowers followed by pale green to brown fruits.
Details – Sempervirens is a large, slow-growing evergreen shrub to 5m or more, compact in habit, with small, glossy oval or oblong leaves, and small, yellowish flowers in the leaf axils.
Cultivation -Grows best in well-drained soil in partial shade; can be scorched by sun and strong winds. Susceptible to a number of box problems
Propagation – Propagate from semi-hardwood cuttings
Suggested planting locations and garden types – Drought Resistant Hedging & Screens Low Maintenance Banks and Slopes Ground Cover Garden Edging Patio & Container Plants Mediterranean Climate Plants
Key Facts
- Common name: Box
- Botanical name: Buxus sempervirens
- Group: Shrub, Hedge
- Flowering time: n/a
- Planting time: Autumn or spring
- Height and spread: Up to 5m by 5m (16ft by 16ft), but can be kept smaller
- Aspect: Sun or shade
- Hardiness: Fully hardy
- Difficulty: Easy
P9 Buxus sempervirens 12-15cm
P11 Buxus sempervirens 15-20cm
P14 Buxus sempervirens 20-25cm
How To Grow
Cultivation notes
Box is tolerant of a wide range of soil types, provided there is adequate drainage and it does not dry out completely. A reliably moist soil is especially important if growing in full sun, otherwise the foliage may scorch. Box will tolerate deep shade and is ideal for planting beneath taller trees.
Planting in the garden
- Box should be planted in autumn or spring
- For hedging prepare a planting area by thoroughly cultivating the soil to a spade’s depth and up to 90cm (3ft) wide
- For individual specimens dig a planting hole to a spade’s depth and a diameter of three times the width of the rootball
- On poorer soils spread organic matter, such as well rotted manure or garden compost, over the prepared area and fork in. Do not place organic matter in the bottom of a planting trench or hole
Spacing
- Plant common box, Buxus sempervirens about 30-40cm (1ft-16in) apart
- Compact cultivars, such as B. ‘Suffruticosa’ and Buxus microphylla, can be planted 10-15cm (4-6in) apart
Pruning & Training
Cut back young hedge plants and topiary by up to one-third in May to encourage bushy growth. Further trimming can be carried out between May and August, as required.
Trim mature hedges and topiary in August. It may be worth noting that although box hedging and topiary can be pruned towards the end of May, pruning at this time may leave the new flush of soft growth vulnerable to weather damage such as leaf scorch, the result of late frosts, drying winds or unseasonably hot sun and, additionally, diseases such as box blight. Pruning later, during August when the new growth has hardened off and slowed down should help minimise leaf damage due to weather conditions or disease and the hedge should remain neat through the winter months.
Old, neglected plants usually respond well to hard pruning in late spring (May) and can be cut back to within 15-30cm (6in-1ft) of the ground.
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