Questions tagged [boxwood]

Tree of genus Buxus, also known as "box".

Known as "Box" in most English speaking countries, and "boxwood" in North America, this refers to the Buxus genus (family Buxaceae) of shrubs and trees. They have a widespread distribution but are mostly tropical or subtropical. Only the European and some Asian species are frost-tolerant.

Box are slow growing evergreens and typically stay below 12m height. It is often used for hedges and topiary. The wood is considered a good wood for carving, and it is also a popular choice for stringed instruments due to its high density and striking orange/red color.

Use this tag for all questions about growing box trees and shrubs.

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Japanese box hedge failing to thrive. What to do?

I have a Japanese box hedge which is not exactly dying, but is definitely failing to thrive. When I moved in (5 years ago) it was looking much better. So it's not about the location, but that the previous owner knows something I do not. It is on…
WW01
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What exactly is an outdoor bonsai?

I recently got a Brussels Boxwood Bonsai, 3 years old. And I have it placed indoors near an optimally sunlit area and apartment temperature is around 70 F.There seems to be a little bit of wilting/decay on the top canopy. Boxwood is supposed to be…
Maximus
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How do I get rid of box rust in December? Will fungicide work?

I have two buxus which have suffered a lack of water due to irrigation failing in the summer and no time to hand water them. There is a definite orange tinge to the first 2 or 3 inches of top growth. I fear pruning at this time of year will kill…
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How far apart should I plant Japanese box for a low hedge?

I was wondering what the distance is when planting Japanese box hedge. I plan to space them every 20cm as the height of the hedge will be approx 30cm when trimmed. Is 20cm the correct spacing?
scott
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Box tree turns bright yellow

Last year I transplanted six box trees from my brother in law's garden. One of them, the biggest (see last image), turned completely yellow without losing a single leaf, so I cut it down. Now another one of the trees is doing the same thing. I can't…
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What is this big caterpillar in my yard?

Does anyone know what this big caterpillar is? It is bright yellow with kind of geometrical triangular grey strips on the back, and also black points. It is huge for the region: 5 to 7 centimetres long and maybe 1 centimetre large! I never saw this…
J. Chomel
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Asian box caterpillar

I noticed some brown leaves on my box plants and thought it may be blight. A week later I was watering close to the biggest, 7feet topiary trimmed, specimen when I noticed a rotten farmyard odour. On inspection I noticed an infestation of…
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Why is this boxwood suffering? Is it box blight or an insect-infection?

I have two small boxwood hedges in my garden which I have trained over the years by cutting into the form of a cuboid. One hedge is in a shady and wet place, one is fully exposed to the sun, south oriented. They are two different kind of boxwoods,…
Patrick B.
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How do I prune boxwoods to control for boxwood leaf miner?

Our boxwoods have a moderate infestation of boxwood leaf miners. Sources recommend pruning to help manage them, and mention that you should cut at a certain time in the pest's lifecycle. But they don't give detailed info on how much to remove or the…
That Idiot
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Is there anything that really helps against the Box tree caterpillar once they are spreading?

About a week ago I noticed that some of our Boxwood plants (Buxus Sempervirens) contain a green caterpillar and a few days later the caterpillars had spread rapidly to almost all other Boxwood plants. After I bit of Googling I found out it's the…
THelper
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What's the best way to treat boxwood winter burn?

I have a boxwood that appears to have suffered some significant winter burn. About half of the branches have yellow leaves. What's the best treatment? Should I prune the affected branches, or leave it alone?
mrog
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Redwood planter - Should I treat it and how?

I just built a nice planter in my garden, and would like to plant some flowers and edible vegetables (i.e. corn, tomatoes and more). Should I treat the wood and how? Let me add a few details: It's made of heart redwood I live in San Gabriel, CA.…
Matteo
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What is a safe proximity for a Boxwood hedge to a paver walkway?

Background I am designing a screen of narrow shrubs for a space between a sunken stairwell and an existing paver walkway. The width of the area in question is 2.5' with a desired plant height of 5'. As such, I've narrowed my search to one of Dee…
xelco52
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Control of Boxwood Psyllids

Do I have to use an insecticide spray or will a detergent like Dawn be just as effective?
Evil Elf
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Are baby gem dense enough for low hedges?

I would like to have a very low hedge: about a foot tall. Are baby gem boxwoods dense enough for that? In other words, will there be enough leaves to cover the branches at the bottom and to look dense? And do they have branches that road down to…
Wynne
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