How2Day: Boxwood Topiary Plants

Boxwood shrubs as topiaries Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Boxwood is a widely used plant in the genus Buxus that is noted for its evergreen foliage that stays vibrant year round. It produces glossy, dark green leaves that are often dense to shape the shrub into an attractive topiary plant. Grown in a a wide range of sizes and shapes, some boxwood shrubs are also deer- and drought-tolerant, added bonuses in keeping the topiary alive and healthy.

Rochester boxwood (Buxus sempervirens 'Rochester') is a dense, broad boxwood variety that has a wide range of uses such as a topiary and specimen plant. It is slow growing to eventually mature to as much as 7 feet tall. Rochester boxwood bears narrow-elliptic to oblong foliage that is dark green and often casts a bronze tinge in winter. The flowers on Rochester boxwood shrubs range in color from pale green to yellow or creamy white and emerge in April and May. Rochester boxwood grows best in full sun to part shade and well-drained, evenly moist soil. Grow Rochester in USDA plant hardiness zones 6 to 8.

Green Mountain boxwood (Buxus sempervirens 'Green Mountain') is a variety of evergreen boxwood with an upright, oval habit that is grown for its attractive foliage and dense, pyramidal form. It has a slow growth rate and clumping habit and is stunning when shaped into a topiary. Green Mountain boxwood grows up to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide and bears dark green foliage and fragrant, creamy yellow, spring-blooming flowers. Cold hardy and deer-tolerant, it's easy to transplant. According to North Carolina State University Extension, "it is less likely than other boxwoods to yellow in winter." Green Mountain boxwood grows best in full sun to part shade and well-drained, moist soil. Grow Green Mountain in zones 6 to 8.

Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla = B. sinica) is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with a compact, dense form. It grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and produces medium green leaves that grow up to 1 inch long. The fragrant, spring-blooming flowers on Littleleaf are non showy but attract bumblebees to the landscape. Hardy, Littleleaf boxwood is drought tolerant and easy to transplant. It grows best in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. Grow Littleleaf in zones 6 to 9.

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