Box - Buxus - Shrub

A classic hedging plant used for the most formal of formal hedges, also if you're feeling adventurous, it can be clipped into balls, pyramids. or whatever shape you like.

A dense, evergreen screen of small, rounded, lustrous, dark green leaves. Best with some degree of shade, they will grow in full sun, but this tends to give them a dull foliage color and scorching. The archetypal plant used as a backdrop to traditional herbaceous borders, knot gardens etc. Slow growing, so you'll have to have a lot of patience to get that perfect bright green hedge. 

Larger hedges are the species B. Sempervivens, smaller hedges are a variety B. sempervivens suffruticosa or Buxus microphylla - small-leaved box sometimes sold as Korean box, actually Buxus microphylla var. koreana

Height and spread: 5m x 5m (15ft x 15ft), suffruticosa / microphylla - very slow growing 1m x 1.5m (3ft x 5 ft)

Position: partial shade

Soil: fertile, well-drained soil

Rate of growth: slow-growing

Other features: contact with the sap may cause skin irritation

Hardiness: fully hardy

Garden care: Ensure that the soil or compost is never allowed to dry out. Carefully cut back plants grown as hedges or topiary in mid- or late summer. Carry out rejuvenate pruning in late spring. After pruning apply a top-dressing of a balanced slow-release fertilizer such as blood, fish and bone (organic) or Gromore (inorganic) around the base of the plant.