Boxwood shrubs are shrubs in the box family, a very diverse family of trees and shrubs which have been used for centuries by gardeners. Classically, boxwood is used to make hedges and garden borders, especially in traditional English gardens, and it can also be used as an accent plant in the garden. Many garden suppliers stock boxwood shrubs, usually with several species and cultivars on offer to satisfy specific needs, and they can also be ordered directly from nurseries which specialize in ornamental shrubs.
One of the most famous boxwood cultivars is English Boxwood, Buxus sempervirens, a dwarf variety of boxwood which tops out at around three feet (one meter) in height. Other boxwood shrubs can get much larger, especially if they are allowed to grow unchecked. All boxwoods are evergreens, with glossy green leaves and small flowers which often go unnoticed amid the thick greenery. Boxwood stems are thick and woody, making the plant very stout and hardy.
When used as a hedge or garden border, boxwood shrubs need to be routinely pruned to hold their shape. Boxwoods are very forgiving of even the most aggressive pruning, and plants which are pruned regularly will develop a dense, sturdy growth habit. Most gardeners make a habit of trimming their boxwood shrubs once a month in the growing season during the spring and summer to keep their hedges looking trim and crisp. In radical cases, gardeners have cut overgrown boxwoods back almost to the roots, and the plants have bounced back within a few years.
Boxwood can also be used to make topiaries, decorative garden accents created by trimming hedges into fanciful shapes. Boxwood is especially well suited to topiary work because it takes shaping very well, and its evergreen nature ensures that the topiary always looks crisp, clean, and green, even in the depth of winter.
The climate zones suitable for boxwood vary, depending on the species. English Boxwood, for example, grows in USDA zones six through eight, but other boxwood shrubs can be grown outside this zone. Most boxwoods are very hardy, withstanding poor soil conditions fairly well, but sometimes they develop a condition known as winter bronzing, in which the leaves turn yellow or orange due to stress. Winter bronzing is caused by exposure to sunlight and lack of water, and it can be reduced by mulching well, protecting the plants from frost by wrapping them on cold nights, and using an anti-desiccant spray designed for boxwoods during the winter months.