Wintergreen boxwood

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is helpful in hot climates. Shelter from drying winter winds.

Water

Moderate; keep newly planted shrubs evenly moist. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but need deep watering during prolonged drought.

Soil

Well-drained loam with consistent moisture; tolerates clay if drainage is good. Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil is suitable.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m), sometimes taller with age

Spread

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Foliage

Small, rounded to oval, glossy green leaves in opposite pairs; evergreen, sometimes taking on bronze tones in cold or exposed conditions.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.9 ft (0.58 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.67 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (0.92 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the top of the root ball level with, or slightly above, the surrounding soil; avoid wet hollows.
• Water deeply through the first growing season, allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, keeping it away from the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak or a soil test indicates a deficiency.
• Water at soil level and leave room for airflow around the shrub to reduce leaf disease.

Pruning. Remove dead or damaged branches in late winter or early spring, then lightly shape after the first spring flush has firmed up. Keep hedges wider at the base than the top, thin crowded growth occasionally, and avoid late-season clipping that encourages tender shoots before frost.

Late winter

Check for winter damage and remove dead branches during dry, frost-free weather.

Spring

Plant when the soil is workable, renew mulch and feed lightly if needed.

Late spring

Lightly clip hedges or rounded shapes once the first flush of growth has firmed up.

Summer

Water during prolonged dry weather and inspect leaves and stems for caterpillars, webbing or disease.

Autumn

Clear fallen leaves from inside and beneath shrubs; avoid pruning before cold weather.

Early winter

In cold regions, water before the ground freezes if autumn has been dry and protect exposed plants from drying winds.

• Clip into low hedges to outline paths, terraces or formal beds.
• Use rounded shrubs among roses and flowering perennials for structure after flowers fade.
• Plant repeated groups beside entrances or along foundations for a consistent evergreen framework.
• Grow in large, well-drained containers for simple topiary, with extra attention to watering and winter root protection.

Garden styles it suits: Formal, English country, French parterre, Tudor knot garden, Topiary garden and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Roses, Catmint, Hardy geraniums, Hellebores, Japanese anemones and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: Small, inconspicuous spring flowers provide pollen and nectar for visiting insects. Dense foliage offers shelter for small birds, but this is not a substitute for locally native habitat plants.

• Box blight: dark leaf spots, black stem streaks and rapid leaf loss need prompt attention. Remove affected material and fallen leaves, disinfect tools, avoid overhead watering and seek local advice before replacing severely affected plants.
• Box tree moth: caterpillars cause webbing and rapid defoliation where this pest occurs. Inspect inside shrubs, hand-pick small infestations and use locally approved caterpillar controls according to the label.
• Root rot: yellowing, wilting and dieback can follow waterlogging. Improve drainage, reduce watering and replace badly affected shrubs rather than replanting into the same wet conditions.
• Winter burn: exposed leaves turn bronze or brown after cold, wind or drought. Maintain soil moisture before freezing weather, provide wind shelter and wait for spring growth before removing damaged shoots.

All parts are toxic if eaten by people, cats, dogs and horses. Leaves and bark contain toxic alkaloids; ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, and large amounts can cause serious poisoning. Keep clippings away from pets and livestock.

• Winter Gem boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Winter Gem')

  Very similar in leaf and habit; young plants cannot be identified reliably by appearance alone. Use a trustworthy cultivar label rather than winter colour as the deciding feature.

• Common box (Buxus sempervirens)

  Usually develops into a larger shrub or small tree and often has more elongated leaves. Clipped young plants can be difficult to distinguish.

• Japanese holly (Ilex crenata)

  Leaves are alternate rather than opposite and usually have finely scalloped edges; female plants may carry black berries.

Buxus is the Latin name for box, microphylla means small-leaved, and 'Wintergreen' refers to the cultivar's relatively good winter leaf colour.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer and root them in a free-draining medium under humid conditions. Cuttings preserve the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably match it.

Accepted botanical name

Buxus microphylla

Native range

Japan.

Measured

Average height 81 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.