Do you have a preference regarding the shape and size of your boxwood?
Do you want plants for taller pyramids and hedges?
Do you live in a region with a colder climate (below USDA hardiness zone 6)?
Do you live in a region with a warmer climate (above USDA hardiness zone 8)?
The best type of boxwood for you is ‘Green Mountain’ hybrid boxwood. This is a premium boxwood selection that is ideal for creating medium-sized hedges and upright specimens. It is much more cold-resistant than ordinary American boxwood, so it is the ideal plant for decorative cones and pyramids in colder areas.
You should choose an American Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens). The American Boxwood has naturally dense, evergreen foliage that is glossy and richly colored. The tiny leaves create a unique effect as a tightly-clipped hedge or an informal mound. Able to grow to 12 feet tall in time, this is the perfect bush for a matched pair of plants gracing your front door and it can be clipped into any form. Classic cones and pyramids are the most commonly seen, but you can create spirals and free-form topiary too.
If you wish to have shorter hedges or decorative globes and you live in a warmer region you should choose Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla). This boxwood is usually available in dwarf forms, growing slowly to just a few feet in height. It is also known as littleleaf boxwood, and it is the most reliable form for hot areas, growing well in zones 9 and 10, although it is also hardy to zone 6.
If you wish to have shorter hedges or decorative globes and you live in a colder region you can choose Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis). This plant is much more resistant to cold than both the Japanese and European boxwood, and it will stay green and healthy down to minus 20 or 25 degrees Fahrenheit. ‘Winter Gem‘ variety makes it easy for gardeners to grow reliable boxwood in zone 5 and even in milder parts of zone 4. Hybrid boxwood ‘Green Velvet’ is vigorous and fast-growing, for hedges and balls. ‘Green Gem’ is naturally round for balls and ‘Green Mound’ is smaller and ideal for low hedges.
If you wish to have shorter hedges or decorative globes and you live in a region with a mild climate choose English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’). It has a dense growth, and it takes years to reach 3 or 4 feet in height. It is the perfect choice for a low hedge, 8 to 18 inches tall, that could edge flower beds or pathways. It can also be clipped into small globes.
If you live in a warmer region you choose an American Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) or Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla). Both these types can grow well in hot climates so it is up to your preference to choose which one would suit your garden better.
If you live in a colder region you can choose Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica var. insularis). This plant is much more resistant to cold than both the Japanese and English boxwood. ‘Winter Gem‘ variety can grow reliable in zone 5 and even in milder parts of zone 4. Hybrid boxwood ‘Green Velvet’ is vigorous and fast-growing, for hedges and balls. ‘Green Gem’ is naturally round for balls and ‘Green Mound’ is smaller and ideal for low hedges. ‘Green Mountain’ hybrid boxwood is the ideal plant for decorative cones and pyramids in colder areas.
If you live in a region with a mild climate you can choose any boxwood and it will grow fine in your garden. English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’) is a very popular variety in mild climates.
https://www.thetreecenter.com/choosing-boxwood-garden/
https://www.thetreecenter.com/green-mountain-boxwood/
https://www.thetreecenter.com/american-boxwood/
https://www.thetreecenter.com/english-boxwood/
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
