There is hardly a garden where you cannot find a box tree. No wonder, because the evergreen shrub grows reliably and is very easy to care for.
The boxwood is an evergreen shrub that can also occur as a tree. However, the low shrub form is much more common. It has many small, dark green, leathery leaves and is extremely tolerant of pruning. But be careful: all parts of the boxwood are poisonous.
- Family: Boxwood
- Genus: Buxus
- Type: Common Boxwood
- Botanical name: Buxus sempervirens
Boxwood comes into its own when used alone, especially when it is spectacularly cut into shape. The most popular shape is the sphere, but other geometric shapes are also possible. Even animals and figures can be formed from the plant with specialist knowledge. As a hedge, the boxwood is mainly cultivated in house gardens, ornamental gardens and cottage gardens as well as in public areas.
Growth and growth behavior of boxwood
The boxwood grows slowly: in a year it only grows about 10 to 20 centimeters. Not very much, but as a hedge or shrub it can still reach a height of 2 to 4 meters. Trees can even grow up to 8 meters high. The plant also thrives very well in tubs, although frost protection is then necessary in winter. More on that later.
Location and soil conditions
The boxwood is easy to care for and undemanding. He is happy with any location, regardless of whether it is in the sun, shade or partial shade. A calcareous, slightly moist soil is optimal. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, you may want to improve the soil with expanded clay, sand, and small stones.
Care measures and prevention against diseases and pests
Water and fertilize:
The boxwood needs little care. Water does not harm it, so you should water it regularly if it does not rain for a long time. If brown leaves and shoots appear after the winter, this is a sign of winter water shortage. After the next cut, however, the plants recover quickly. If it gets yellow leaves, it has theseCauses.
Compound fertilizer, box and hedge fertilizer or compost are well tolerated by box trees in spring and promote growth.
cut:
The pruning is very important for the boxwood. On the one hand, the bushes then grow denser and more lush, on the other hand, you can use them to bring the box into the desired shape. Pruning starts at the beginning of May. For a targeted shape cut then even every six weeks. Of course, if you only want to keep the shrub at a certain height, you cut less often.
Tip: Special boxwood scissors with short blades are useful for topiary. Cordless scissors are suitable for normal cutting.
Hiberation:
Even if box trees are frost-resistant outdoors, they still need a base made of polystyrene and a coconut mat as a cover in the bucket. You should protect the plant itself with straw in a jute bag or something similar. Caution: As an evergreen shrub, boxwood should also be watered in frost-free periods in winter.
Diseases and pests:
Fungal diseases occasionally occur. Warm, humid weather also favors the spread. Affected shoots and leaves can be recognized by a dark brown discoloration. You then have to remove them generously. You can support the healing process with a fungicide.
Native pests very rarely infest the robust boxwood. A much greater danger is the moth or the caterpillar of the butterfly. The small butterfly comes from the Far East. The problem: its caterpillars are almost impossible to fight. The caterpillars are light to dark green with black and white spots. They eat boxwood leaves and young bark on fresh branches. The only countermeasure is: open your eyes and collect the caterpillars. Borer caterpillars have no natural enemies here and can therefore spread unhindered - certain doom for every infested boxwood plant.