Boxwoods are typically large shrubs or small trees, but most of the varieties used in modern landscaping are dwarf varieties, such as B. sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', a popular plant for hedges and topiaries. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. A few examples of dwarf boxwood include dwarf English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens "Suffruticosa"), "Wee Willie" boxwood (Buxus sinica var. Members of the genus Buxus include about thirty species and 160 cultivars, including Buxus sempervirens, the common American boxwood. A summary of what there is to know: Name – Buxus Family – Buxaceae Type – shrub Height – extremely variable, maximum 13 feet (4 meters) Soil – ordinary Exposure – sun and part sun Foliage – evergreen. Depending upon the specific variety, these evergreen shrubs grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Boxwoods, because of their dense foliage, often die out in the center from a lack of sunlight. Boxwood is easy to grow and thrives under many conditions that would defeat a less sturdy plant. The shrub requires no pruning to maintain its look, but it can be severely cut back with no adverse effects. For boxwoods that form a hedge and aren’t being modeled into any specific shape, pruning once before summer is enough. Annual pruning in the early to late winter while their growth is slow will keep these shrubs healthy and shapely. This type of thinning is critical with English boxwood but does not happen overnight. Topping out at three feet tall and two feet wide, it's a fine option for small gardens and containers. One last note: if you don’t mind a little extra work, boxwood shrubs make excellent topiaries. Tools needed to prune boxwood. Beware! The new growth that appears after trimming boxwood bushes may not have time to harden off before frost. Boxwood bushes have an undeserved reputation and should be a welcome addition to the modern landscape. With pruning it can be kept in a globe shape. Virtues: Petite Pillar boxwood brings all the classic beauty and formality of boxwood, but with no need for trimming to keep it compact. Train smaller branches to conform to the structure and prune larger branches to prevent them from growing toward the outside of the form. You can plant dwarf English boxwoods about 2 to 3 feet apart to grow into a hedge … The varieties are largely based on leaf size and growth which can range from one foot tall to twenty (.3-6 m.). japonica "Morris Midget"). Repeat the shearing process in the spring after the first flush of new growth stops. Removal of larger branches or pruning boxwoods is used to remove diseased or dying branches or to refurbish plants that are past their prime. Touch up trimming can be done all spring and summer. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! They are the gardeners that remember trimming boxwood bushes into severe and often geometric shapes that have no place in the more casual gardens of today. Repeat this process on each dead branch. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Do not thin or shear dwarf boxwoods within six weeks to the average first fall frost date to avoid causing the death of new foliage that hasn't had time to mature. Position the cut 1/4 inch above the nearest lateral branch or growth node. Select a thickly leafed branch, reach into the canopy and cut the branch off 6 inches from its tip to thin the dwarf boxwood. Cut through the stem 1/4 inch above its base with a pair of pruning shears. The process begins soon after pruning but takes years of continual pruning to get the box where it needs to be. Rake up any loose or fallen leaves and discard them with the branches. Their compact evergreen leaves add texture and form to the garden when all else falls to winter’s sleep. For hedge-bound boxwood, any hedge trimmer or long-bladed shears will do fine. Asked June 13, 2013, 5:33 PM EDT. But, don’t over do it. Bend the dead branch along with the surrounding... 2. Dwarf boxwoods retain the oblong, pinnate, green leaves and dense canopies characteristic of boxwood plants, but in a small, 1- to 2-foot-high and wide plant. If your boxwood has become overgrown, all you'll need is a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears or loppers. insularis "Wee Willie") and "Morris Midget" boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. Cut back the tips of the branches to retain the desired shape of the boxwood. Cut off the ends off extremely long or vigorous branches with hedge shears, clipping branches that extend past the general perimeter of the dwarf boxwood. Identify any brown, dry and dead branches on the dwarf boxwood. It serves well as a place marker, such as at the start of a pathway or flanking a gate, or, if planted in multiples, a low hedge or edging. Extreme trimming of dwarf English boxwoods. Its exceptional sun tolerance and small deep-green leaves makes it a great substitute for the popular English Boxwood, which is known to suffer from too much sun. Boxwood The boxwood shrub has been used as a landscape specimen and hedge plant since Colonial times. About one-third of the bush should be thinned each year, since boxwoods keep their foliage for three years. Planting Areas. Shearing or trimming may be done with hand shears or with electric hedge clippers. Repeat this process, removing a total of 10 percent of the plant's branches, selecting randomly spaced limbs for even thinning. As the seasons pass, your boxwood shrubs will take on the shape of the structure and you will have a unique conversation piece and interesting focal point for your garden. Before shaping the shrub, make sure you remove all of the dead or damaged sections of the plant. Topiaries are living garden statuary and can be molded into any shape your imagination can envision. Boxwood, like most shrubs, needs a cleaning out of dead or twisted branches that can be harmful to the bush. Major pruning should be done in the late winter to early spring. Gather all discarded branches and place them in a trash bin or on a compost heap. Used as a hedge, nothing provides a better screen against an unsightly view. Japonica 'Morris Midget', North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service: Growing Boxwoods in the Landscape, Virginia Cooperative Extension: Selecting Landscape Plants: Boxwoods. They are the gardeners that remember trimming boxwood bushes into severe and often geometric shapes that have no place in the more casual gardens of today. They also remember how much time and effort it took to keep them in formal rigidity. Never leave loose plant material on the ground surrounding the boxwood, as it creates hiding places for harmful insects and fungal spores. Excessive shearing can produce growth so dense on the outside of your shrub that it will prevent light from reaching the center of the bush and leave the inner branches bare. But you say I will have holes in my boxwood. Boxwoods have fallen out of favor with some gardeners in recent years. insularis). This will encourage branching and new growth, which will result in denser growth and defined shape. But you say I will have holes in my boxwood. When the right cultivar is chosen, they need very little pruning. The 'Justin Brouwers' Dwarf Boxwood is a slow to moderate growing evergreen shrub with a compact mounded form if left to grow naturally. Boxwood is probably the shrub that best personifies the notion of “French garden”. Boxwoods have fallen out of favor with some gardeners in recent years. Pruning boxwood correctly is an important investment in the plant’s future quality of life. Special scissors or shears have been developed for pruning topiary, they are perfect for boxwood. It’s best to take such drastic measures in stages, over several years if necessary, to give your boxwood shrubs the best opportunity to survive. Yes, you can prune hard or trim boxwood shrubs to the desired height depending on the time of year. Repeat this process over the entire surface of the plant to neaten its overall shape. Pruning boxwood correctly is an important investment in the plant’s future quality of life. They also remember how much time and effort it took to keep them in formal rigidity. Using a bypass pruner, reach inside the shrub down to about 6 inches and prune off a few of the inner stems. How to Prune a Dwarf Boxwood 1. It is the removal of all or most of the most recent growth. Boxwoods can be trimmed at any time of year, but, for plant health, it’s best to avoid shearing in the late fall. That said, these handy evergreens do need occasional pruning. This type of thinning is critical with English boxwood but does not happen overnight. Cut out any broken, split branches, making each cut 1/4 inch above a growth node, lateral branch or branch base located a few inches below the damaged area. Repeat this process to remove any branches that sport yellow or orange discolored foliage. The best time to trim boxwoods used in topiaries is in the spring before new growth begins. Boxwood bushes simply don’t need much care when compared to other landscape shrubs. Cut out any broken, split branches, making each cut 1/4 inch above a growth node, lateral branch or branch base... 3.
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