Photo (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 2.5
About
The genus *Buxus sp* includes over seventy species, commonly known as box or boxwood, and is highly valued by hobbyists for its slow-growing, evergreen habit, making it ideal for formal hedging and topiary work.
Field notes
Morphology
The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate, and leathery; they are small in most species, typically 1.5–5 cm long and 0.3–2.5 cm broad, though they can reach up to 11 cm long and 5 cm broad in *B. macrocarpa*. The flowers are small and yellow-green, and the fruit is a small capsule measuring 0.5–1.5 cm long (up to 3 cm in *B. macrocarpa*).
Distribution & habitat
Native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The majority of species are tropical or subtropical, with only the European and some Asian species being frost-tolerant.
Cultivation notes
Box plants are commonly grown as hedges and for topiary. The wood is highly valued for fine carving, making it useful for decorative boxes, chess pieces, and woodblock printing. It has also been used historically for musical instruments, such as tailpieces and tuning pegs.
History & etymology
The genus is noted for its historical use in various fields, including engineering and arts, due to its density and stability. Boxwood was historically used for measuring scales, protractors, and other technical drawing devices.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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