English Boxwood, or true dwarf boxwood, B. sempervirens 'Suffruticosa,' is a boxwood hardy to USDA Zone 5. It is the most popular and most widely grown cultivar of all boxwoods. This boxwood is a low (less than 3 ft), slow-growing, compact boxwood which hardly averages more than an 3/4 to an inch of growth per year. B. sinica var. insularis 'Wintergreen,' a Korean boxwood, is hardy to USDA Zone 4. This slow growing boxwood cultivar's foliage has a dark green color that lasts through the winter. This boxwood is a more open form than American boxwood. A older plants attain sizes to 5 ft tall by 3 1/2 ft wide. B. sempervirens 'Vardar Valley' is a popular variety of the B. sempervirens cultivars. It is known to be one of the hardiest of B. sempervirens available in Pennsylvania. It keeps its dark green color in winter. Spring growth has a bluish tint. 'Vardar Valley' has a broad spreading habit and can reach a height of about 7 ft. Buxus 'Green Velvet' is hardy to USDA Zone 4b. A rounded habit and vigorous growth which holds color well through winter. Ultimate height of this boxwood is 4 ft. Buxus 'Green Mountain' is hardy to USDA Zone 4b. It also has dark green foliage color that persists through winter. It is a dense pyramidal habit. A 10-year-old plant may be 3 ft tall by 1 1/2 ft wide. A mature Green Mountain Boxwood can be as 5 ft tall with a base 3 ft wide. Boxwoods will grow in a variety of light conditions. If they are in shade they will need better soil conditions. Boxwoods are not wetland plants. They like well drained soils. Don't plant near swamps, sump pumps or downspouts. These areas usually stay wet and cause root rot. Boxwoods are shallow rooted with small fiberous roots and don" need to be planted deeply. These plants will lose vigor if to deep.
An inch or two of organic mulch over top of the plants helps. To mulch mulch hinders air flow to the roots. Mulching helps avoid nutritional, drought stress andhelps with weeding problems. Unless you can have a soil test on your soil we don't recommend fertilization. If there is a nitrogen deficiency the re will be some yellowing of the leaves. Boxwood leaves do fall off the shrub after about three years. If sooner, it also indicates a nitrogen deficiency.
Each spring, if you are the fertilizing type, make sure to broadcast fertilizer beyond the drip line of the plant. If the fertilizer is on the plant or roots directly it can cause a burn. Boxwoods like about 1 inch of rain per week. If there is an extended dry spell water them accordingly.
It is important to shear and trim your boxwoods. Shearing will encourage branch development. Shear in the spring or summer. Shearing in the fall will encourage branch development and the branches may not be harded well enough for winter. Shearing helps air and light circulate and discourage fungal leaf spot diseases and twig blight. If you need to cut back the plants hard do this in the early winter and do one side of the plant and the second half next winter. About Boxwood cultivars
Do you need help in planning or selecting a tree or shrub? Why not email us a picture of the site and let us give you choices for your landscape? We can also have John Murray our in house designer give you a free landscape plan based on the photo. Just let us know
what kind of plants you prefer...Evergreen...Natives...Flowering and he will do the rest.
Information about our
Locations
Zone5Trees.com Highland Hill Farm
Articles on Trees Plants and Shrubs
- Winter Gardening Tips
- Hedges
- Planting Instructions
- Be an Urban Farmer
- About Us
- Growing Rhodies and Other Acid Loving Plants
- Resistance of Seedlings and Nursery Stock to Deer Damage
- Landscaping New Construction
- Replacing Trees because of Bug and Bagworms
- Saving Enegry by Landscaping
- Planting in Clay Soils
- Transplant Shock
- Propagate Ornamental Grasses on Your Own
- Hunt for Arrowheads on our Farms
- Allergies and tree selections
- Hunting leases on Our farms
Do you need help in planning or selecting a tree or shrub? Why not email us a picture of the site and let us give you choices for your landscape? We can also have John Murray our in house designer give you a free landscape plan based on the photo. Just let us know
what kind of plants you prefer...Evergreen...Natives...Flowering and he will do the rest.
Email Us ©2004 Highland Hill Farm. All rights reserved.
