Common Box
Buxus sempervirens
Also listed as Buxus hyrcana, Buxus angustifolia
Also known as Boxwood, Box, European Box
Climate Match for your location
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A dense, compact evergreen shrub with small glossy leaves, valued for its tolerance of pruning and shaping into formal hedges and topiaries. Slow-growing and long-lived, it thrives in cool to moderate climates with consistent moisture.
Why grow it
Common box offers superior formal hedge and topiary potential compared to most alternatives due to its fine texture, dense branching habit, and responsiveness to frequent pruning without dieback. Its slow growth rate minimizes maintenance frequency relative to faster-growing hedging species, and its evergreen foliage provides year-round structure in temperate gardens. It tolerates partial shade better than many sun-demanding hedge plants, making it useful for enclosed garden spaces.
Watch out for
Box responds poorly to sudden changes in moisture availability, particularly drought followed by heavy watering, which can trigger dieback in susceptible plants. In warmer climates or during unusually hot summers, newly planted or stressed specimens may suffer foliage scorch despite adequate soil moisture. Pruning during active growth in wet conditions can increase susceptibility to fungal issues in poorly ventilated plantings.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Buxaceae
Native Range
Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A dense, compact evergreen shrub with small glossy leaves, valued for its tolerance of pruning and shaping into formal hedges and topiaries. Slow-growing and long-lived, it thrives in cool to moderate climates with consistent moisture.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Common Box grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Common box offers superior formal hedge and topiary potential compared to most alternatives due to its fine texture, dense branching habit, and responsiveness to frequent pruning without dieback. Its slow growth rate minimizes maintenance frequency relative to faster-growing hedging species, and its evergreen foliage provides year-round structure in temperate gardens. It tolerates partial shade better than many sun-demanding hedge plants, making it useful for enclosed garden spaces.
Watch out for
Box responds poorly to sudden changes in moisture availability, particularly drought followed by heavy watering, which can trigger dieback in susceptible plants. In warmer climates or during unusually hot summers, newly planted or stressed specimens may suffer foliage scorch despite adequate soil moisture. Pruning during active growth in wet conditions can increase susceptibility to fungal issues in poorly ventilated plantings.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Buxaceae
Native Range
Southern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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