Boxwood

Family. Buxaceae.

Where does it grow? Asia, Mediterranean, Africa.

Description. The genus "boxwood" includes about 70 evergreen shrubs or trees with small opposite leaves. Glossy, dark green leaves are simple, elliptical or lanceolate. The underside of the leaf blade is painted in a lighter shade. Small cream flowers are collected in apical inflorescences. Flowering does not add any special beauty to the boxwood, but it will fill the room with a pleasant aroma. During the winter months, the plant's leaves may turn bronze.

Height. Boxwood grows slowly at home. In its natural environment it reaches a height of 1 - 8 m.

Care at home

Propagation by cuttings and growing from seeds 

Vegetatively using half-ripe stem cuttings. Seeds that are sown in the spring. Germination occurs within 1 - 3 months if the seedlings are kept warm. 

Soil

For growing indoor boxwood, nutritious soil is suitable, loose with good drainage, and the pH of the soil should be in the range from 6.5 to 7.2. Add a little lime to soil that is too acidic.

Diseases and pests 

When kept cool, the leaves take on a bronze tint. Leaf spotting. Root rot due to waterlogging or insufficient drainage.

Among the harmful insects, plants can be attacked by nematodes, spider mites, and gall midges. psyllids, mealybugs, scale insects, moths, false scale insects.

How to replant

Transplantation is carried out with the beginning of new growth, in the spring. Young specimens are transplanted annually, adult plants are transplanted when it is necessary to change the soil. For large tub trees, the top layer of soil is replaced with fresh soil every year in the spring.

Growing, pruning 

Pruning is done at any time of the year. Try to do several small haircuts, not one radical one. With the help of proper pruning, the boxwood crown can be given any desired shape. When pruning, remove damaged or old branches. Pinch the tips of young shoots to form a lush tree.

Fertilizer 

During the growing season, boxwood is fed 2 times a month with liquid fertilizers, while at the end of summer it is worth using fertilizers with a low nitrogen content. 

Watering 

During the period of active growth, water generously, the upper part of the soil should dry out a little before the next watering. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced. Excess water accumulated in the tray must be removed.

When it blooms 

Flowering time is  April – May.

Containment temperature

During the period of active growth, boxwood is kept at normal room temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, but in winter it should be placed in a cool room with a temperature of 3 - 8 ° C.

Purpose

The tree is unpretentious and can be used for growing in bonsai style.

Lighting

Shade from hot direct sunlight during the daytime in spring and summer; the rest of the time, boxwood can take sunbathing. 

Air humidity

It is not necessary to spray the leaves of this indoor plant - it tolerates dry living spaces well, but it is worth remembering that keeping it in an atmosphere that is too dry can lead to an invasion of pests, such as red spider mites. 

Note

In sensitive people, boxwood sap can cause contact dermatitis. The plant releases special substances into the air - phytoncides, which help fight bacteria and viruses. 

Varieties:

Buxus sempervirens

Evergreen trees or shrubs up to 9 m high with a rounded crown formed by abundantly branching, thin shoots of the plant. Small elliptical or lanceolate green, thick leaves up to 2.5 cm long are arranged in opposite pairs on short petioles. The lower surface of glossy sheets is often painted in a lighter shade. Small yellowish, attractive flowers are collected in few-flowered axillary inflorescences and appear in spring. During the flowering period, the plant emits a very pleasant aroma. 

Buxus colchica

A large evergreen shrub or small tree with abundantly branched shoots. The leaves are thick, entire, arranged in opposite pairs, have a glossy surface and a pronounced central vein. The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, without petals, but with long, fluffy stamens, appear along the entire length of the stems in the leaf axils.

There are variegated plants with thin, light stripes along the edges of the leaf blades. 

Buxus microphylla

Evergreen shrubs with erect, dense shoots and small, opposite, simple leaves. The leaf blades are entire, oval, 1 - 3 cm long, painted in different tones of green. The flowers are small, collected in small axillary inflorescences.

This attractive plant is widely used outdoors to create hedges. 

Buxus sinica

Dense, compact, multi-stemmed, evergreen shrub up to 1.5 m high. This variety has good frost resistance. The leaves are oval, thick, small - up to 2 cm in length, on short petioles, glossy, painted in all shades of green. The flowers are axillary, greenish-yellow, fragrant, appearing in spring. The flowers are rare and insignificant, but quite fragrant.