Boxwood are famed for thriving in shade, and they can also be happy in full sun as long as their soil situation is good. Note that exposure to full sun in winter can cause boxwood leaves to turn orange. That happens when the winter sun and wind are removing water from the leaves faster than the plant can uptake water from the soil.
Plant these bright shrubs in a protected area because winter wind will dry them out badly. Help your boxwood stay hydrated by watering them appropriately, and apply new layers of mulch each fall to help guard against winter damage. Both American and littleleaf boxwood have very shallow roots.
Never plant them too deep. In fact, the top eighth of the root ball of each plant should sit high — that is, above the existing soil level. Deep planting will slow down a boxwood's vitality and can kill them. Regular irrigation is essential to helping boxwood maintain their beauty and health. Watering deeply and thoroughly will assist the shrubs in developing a healthy root system that anchors them firmly in the soil.
Deeper roots also make the plants less susceptible to drought and nutritional stress. Experts disagree on the necessity of fertilizer for boxwood. Some recommend you skip feeding the shrubs altogether unless a soil test indicates a nutritional deficiency.
Others recommend that you apply a balanced fertilizer in spring and again in fall. While generally healthy, boxwood is vulnerable to a few serious diseases. One is root rot caused by the fungi Phytophthora spp. The symptoms include slow growth, foliage turning yellow and brown, discolored wood at the base of the stem right near the soil line and loosening of the dead lower bark. You can't cure root rot, but you can prevent it by maintaining well-draining soil.
A second very dangerous disease in boxwood is called canker. It is caused by the fungus Pseudonectria rouselliana. While root rot is caused by improper soil drainage, canker comes from shearing boxwood foliage in a way that causes dense branching and reduced air circulation.
Look for leaves that turn red and yellow, branch die-back and salmon-colored fruiting bodies on leaves and stems. Prevent this issue by thinning boxwood foliage so that light and air can get into the interior of the plant. A third serious boxwood disease is boxwood blight.
It was first spotted in the eastern United States in and has moved into a number of northeastern and western states. Boxwoods have a slow growth rate, have few pests and diseases, and are ignored by deer and rabbits.
Wondering how to grow boxwoods? Boxwoods can be used to create formal hedges between gardens, along paths, and in geometric designs. Growing boxwood evergreens are ideal for informal and mixed hedges, too. Stand alone specimen plants are popular for topiary and even bonsai. Perfect Plants offers two kinds of boxwoods. The Japanese boxwood Buxus microphylla var. We think these are the best boxwoods for hedges from their uniform height and width.
This tall boxwood hedge plant has small, inconspicuous flowers that are creamy white. Wintergreen Boxwood Wintergreen boxwood B. Wintergreen is better at keeping its dark green color all winter too, even through the cold weather. The flowers of wintergreen boxwood are yellowish green, but, like the Korean variety, inconspicuous and of little interest.
Wintergreen boxwood is listed by some authorities as B. Whichever slow growing boxwood shrub you choose, follow a few simple guidelines and you can expect success. Shady Boxwood Foundation Planting Planting Site Selection Boxwoods do best in dappled partial shade where they get full sun for a portion of the day.
Too much full sun, especially in hot climates, will damage their leaves. Used as foundation plantings around the house, boxwoods would be happiest on the north side, and forced to suffer the most direct sun on the south side.
Most boxwood varieties prefer well drained soil where there is no standing water. The shallow root systems do not like wet feet as they are susceptible to root rot if there is not good drainage. Avoid planting in winter. For hedges and foundation plantings, space the smaller Wintergreen boxwoods about feet apart and the larger Korean boxwoods feet apart. For tall hedges, place them a little farther apart; closer together for lower hedges.
The difference is the boxwood will not recover with fresh growth in spring. Cankers will form on branches and bark will peel off. Fungicides can help to treat stem blight. Only affects English boxwood.
Some believe boxwood decline is a single disease, while others believe it is the result of many negative factors that descend on and eventually kill a boxwood.
Box blight is caused by a fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola with heavy, sticky spores that attack the foliage.
Infected leaves fall of the plant in a matter of a week or so. Stems near infected leaves will develop streaked black stem lesions or cankers. Boxwood blight only affects plants in the Buxaceae family including Buxus boxwood , Sarcococca sweet box and Pachysandra spurge. While there are multiple fungicides that may help prevent blight, none are considered curative at this time. Learn more about boxwood blight here. The primary pest of the boxwood. Over the period of several years, a lightly-infested plant can become discolored, yellowish-brown, and even defoliated.
The good news is that there are effective control options to manage leafminer. Learn more about leafminer here. Occurs wherever boxwood are found, usually emerging in mid-April or at the start of new growth. Can be very small and difficult to see. If you suspect boxwood mites, try gently hitting a branch over a piece of white paper to help you see them. Mite damaged leaves appear to have tiny white spots and marks on them.
Damage is superficial if you handle it properly. Over time, if the mite population becomes to great, mites can do extensive damage. Boxwood contains alkaloids that are toxic to deer and humans.
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