Boxwoods a Southern Favorite

The two main types of Boxwood are the true Dwarf or English Boxwood which reaches less than 3 feet in height at maturity. The other type is the American Boxwood and is the most commonly used form. It grows to a height of a small tree after many years.

Boxwoods as a landscape plant have long been a favorite of Southern gardeners. This favored status stems from several factors. Among them… Boxwood were used on the old wealthy estates and lent a certain prestige to the owners.

Beyond these points everything else was downhill because Boxwoods have many strict requirements and are subject to a wide range of problems. They can be grown successfully for many years provided certain conditions are met.

Standard Boxwood characteristics…

Boxwoods have dense foliage and full, rounded shapes and are adapted to a wide range of light conditions. They are tolerant of fairly heavy shade but will grow in full sun if the roots are in a good soil environment. Best in filtered sunlight such as, under pine trees. An ideal location receives full sunlight during part of the day and light shade or indirect sun for the remainder of the day.

Soil conditions

Soils for Boxwood range from sandy loams to heavy clay. The one very important factor of soils is drainage. Without drainage, boxwood are doomed to failure. Make certain that water from gutters and downspouts do not flood the planting sites around foundation plantings. The ground surface should be sloped so that rainfall drains away fairly rapidly. Even though Boxwood will grow in heavy clays, your chances for success are better if you will do a thorough job of preparing the soil prior to planting.

Planting…

For best results try to prepare beds or areas rather than individual plantings. Boxwood are extremely shallow rooted plants and must not be planted any deeper than they grew in the nursery. If your soil has been thoroughly prepared, dig a hole just deep enough to accommodate the root ball. To be absolutely certain, you can plant the root ball slightly higher than the surrounding ground.

Moist soil…

Another very important factor is the maintenance of adequate soil moisture. Boxwood roots grow near the surface and are subject to extremes of temperature and drying. A shallow 2 inch layer of mulch, such as pine straw, is of primary importance.

Fertilize…

For best results with boxwood plan to fertilize in March, May and July using a complete balanced fertilizer. Use no more than two teaspoons per foot of height if a fertilizer such as 16-4-8 to 12-4-8 or similar analysis is used. Scatter the fertilizer evenly underneath and also slightly beyond the drip line of the foliage. Fertilizer in piles underneath the plant is a major reason for Boxwood root damage. Rinse away any fertilizer from stems or foliage. Plan to water weekly by applying plenty of water to moisten the top 6 inches of soil.

For more information on boxwoods; contact your local County Extension Office.