Buxus sempervirens Suffruticosa - Dwarf Common Boxwood

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', the Dwarf Common Boxwood, is a very compact evergreen shrub. It is perfect for topiary art and for creating low, formal hedges. Easy to grow, it will tolerate almost any soil, and almost any weather condition. The only criticism one could make is igrows incredibly slowly. And even then, it also means that it requires little pruning to maintain its compact habit, a significant advantage when forming a large border!

Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' is the most commonly used dwarf variety of common boxwood for creating low hedges. Boxwood is a member of the Buxaceae family. Its origins are uncertain, but it is generally accepted that it is found in southern Europe, Asia Minor, and North Africa. It is found in Bulgaria, Portugal, northern Spain, France, Germany, England, southern Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the Balkans. As shown by this vast distribution range, it is a pervasive shrub, capable of adapting to any type of soil and climate.

Common boxwood is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with small, dark green, aromatic leaves (whose scent may be unpleasant). Its appearance varies greatly depending on its living conditions. In damp or shaded areas, its leaves will be darker green, larger, and the plant will exceed 3 m (9.8 ft) in height. In rather dry and sunny areas, its leaves will be lighter, sometimes almost yellow, and its growth more modest. In autumn or winter, sometimes as early as the end of summer in very dry climates, the foliage can take on interesting bronze or orange hues. The abundant, nectar-rich, and fragrant flowering, in clusters of small greenish petals and bouquets of yellow stamens, occurs in April-May. Each cluster consists of a terminal female flower and several pendulous male flowers. This flowering is followed by the formation of small brown-grey, tough capsules containing numerous ripe seeds. Their scent attracts ants, which disperse them, thus contributing to the plant's multiplication. Buxus plants of 50 years are commonly seen in the gardens of family homes, and in very old gardens, individuals over 500 years old can be found.

The very dense foliage of Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' is composed of small, tough, shiny green leaves. Not exceeding 1 m (3.3 ft) in height, with a truly slow growth, these naturally rounded shrubs possess all the other characteristics of the type. They are perfect for creating borders. Annual pruning in June is sufficient, allowing for its fragrant and abundant spring flowering. Boxwood is often used on terraces, in beautiful ceramic or stone pots, and in small gardens for its strong decorative value throughout the year, while taking up little space. In herb gardens, it can delineate squares of aromatic plants, different parts of a vegetable garden, or an area reserved for cut flowers. Plant it in a somewhat wild area of the garden, where it can form beautiful green bushes throughout the year. It looks particularly attractive when planted among a carpet of Algerian Bellecour ivy, for example.

To create a border, plan for 5 small plants per linear metre.

A legendary tree: boxwood has remarkably hard, lemon-yellow wood, with a very fine grain. It is the hardest wood that can be found in the northern hemisphere. It ranks just behind ebony, which comes from different species native to the tropical regions of the old world. A symbol of immortality, it has been used since ancient times for the quality of its wood: Greeks and Romans used it to make wax-covered tablets on which they wrote. Highly sought after by turners, engravers, and sculptors, it was also used to make various musical instruments, tool handles, and to make the mallet of Masonic lodges, where it symbolised firmness and perseverance.