Description Description Smart, elegant and screaming sophistication the Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) makes for perfect garden edging or a dividing hedge. It is capable of forming a dense, tight, formal hedge in well drained soil in anything dense shade to full sun. It is slow growing, growing up to 10-15cm per year in favourable conditions. Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) is a small evergreen shrub growing, if untrimmed, to between 4-8m tall and wide. The leaves are ovular and dark green with a leathery feel to them which are up to 3cm long and it has smooth, grey bark. Both genders of flower can be found on the same plant between April and May in yellow clusters. Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) is perfect situated for: city and courtyard gardens; cottage and informal; wildlife gardens; patio and container plants; hedging and screening and due to its tight nature, topiary. Common box is fully hardy in the UK and has an RHS Hardiness rating of H6. It is capable of surviving down to -15 to -20C. Due to its tight nature it makes for the perfect windbreak, supplying vital cover to the garden which is essential to allow wildlife and other garden plants to survive. In order for Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) to keep its tight shape it should be trimmed twice a year in May and September. It is advisable to have a weak bleach solution when trimming and dip the shears in the solution so as to reduce the chance of any infections that might be present spreading. Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) is native to Europe, North Africa and West Asia and is thought to be native to the UK, though it is disputed. The most famous site where Box grows naturally in the UK is Box Hill in Surrey. It takes its name from the shrub which dominates the steep chalk woodland and has done since the 12th century and is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Common Box (Buxus Sempervirens) timber is valuable commodity, being used for violin pegs, musical instruments and engraving and has long been sought after. It has been documented that in 1815 £10,000 of timber was removed from Box Hill, a huge fortune at the time. In early times the wood was used in religious festivals. Box wood is also incredibly valuable for medical purposes as it contains steroidal alkaloids. These are used in treatment for HIV, leprosy and epilepsy amongst other things. Now to address the Elephant in the room, Box Blight; Box Blight is a fungal disease which can effect the common box and it can be spread in numerous ways. It enters the plant through wounds, for instance after pruning. The best way to deal with it is to keep the plant healthy, feeding it with seaweed extract. It can also be sprayed with various chemicals that can easily be found on the web, act sooner rather than later. The same goes for the Box Caterpillar, treatments can easily be found on the web and are extremely easy to use. Maintenance Prune twice a year in May and September to tightly keep its shape Growing conditions Well drained soil Light levels Full sun to dappled shade Hardiness RHS Hardiness H6, down to -15 to -20C Suitability to animals and wildlife Not poisonous to livestock, birds and people, though please do not ingest this Poisonous if ingested to cats, dogs and horses, though they would want to have to eat it first. Buying a Hedge There are many benefits to buying a hedge, which many people forget. For more information on why to buy a hedge, visit our page on why buy a hedge? When buying a hedge it is important to know the different forms of hedging. For more information visit our page on Bare root, root ball, potted plants. When purchasing a hedge it is important that you give it every chance it can to thrive. For more information on planting visit our Planting page.
