How to Grow Common Box (Buxus sempervirens)

Box, Buxus sempervirens, is a British native tree, most commonly used for hedging and topiary thanks to its small, evergreen leaves and dense growth. In April and May, it produces insignificant yellow flowers, that are nonetheless rich in nectar and popular with bees. Left untrimmed, a box plant can reach 5m tall, but most never reach this as they are clipped regularly.

Box is synonymous with formal gardens, particularly parterres and knot gardens, and can be clipped into all manner of shapes. It’s beautiful, versatile and useful, but in recent years, it has suffered the double whammy of box blight and box tree caterpillar, both of which weaken and can kill the plants. This means box is no longer the hedging or topiary plant of choice in many areas of the UK, and it’s best to grow alternatives to box such as Lonicera nitida to avoid these problems.

Grow box in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or shade. Prune from mid- to late summer to keep in shape and keep an eye out for box blight and box tree caterpillar, both of which can harm the look and health of your box plants.

More on growing box:

• Alternatives to box
• How to make a box ball
• How to shape box topiary

• Planting box
• Caring for box
• Pruning box
• Propagating box
• Growing box: problem-solving
• Best box to grow

Plant box in any moist but well-drained soil in sun or shade. You can also grow box in containers – it looks especially good shaped as topiary.

Box hedge plants are usually bought in pots and can therefore be planted at any time of year, as long as the ground isn’t frozen. The best time to plant, however, is spring or autumn. Dig a generous hole, adding plenty of well-rotted compost