Common Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens · Evergreen, Broadleaf Shrub/Small Tree, Hardwood
Plant Family
Buxaceae
Tree Category
Ornamental, Hedge, Foundation Shrub
Variety / Cultivar
Green Mountain or Green Velvet (commonly used landscape cultivar)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 8
About This Tree
Dense, rounded, slow-growing evergreen shrub often pruned into a formal ball or hedge shape, featuring extremely tight branching and small leathery leaves that create a very solid, velvety surface texture
Leaf Characteristics
Small, opposite, simple elliptic to oblong leaves measuring about 0.5 to 1.5 inches long, with smooth margins, glossy dark green upper surfaces, and paler matte undersides
Bark Characteristics
Thin, smooth, and light gray-brown when young, developing light furrows, corky ridges, and a somewhat rougher texture as stems mature
Growing Information
Origin Region
Western and Southern Europe, Northwest Africa, and Western Asia
Growing Season
Evergreen maintaining lush green foliage year-round, with slow active growth beginning in spring, minor inconspicuous flowers in early spring, and entering semi-dormancy in cold winter months
Sunlight & Water Needs
Adapts well to full sun to full shade, prefers consistently moist, well-draining soil with moderate watering needs once established, and benefits from mulch to protect shallow root systems
Mature Size
Typically reaches 3 to 8 feet in height and spread depending on pruning and cultivar, with an extremely slow growth rate and a lifespan often exceeding several decades
Special Characteristics
Highly tolerant of heavy pruning and shearing making it ideal for topiary and hedges, highly deer-resistant due to toxic alkaloids in the foliage, and provides formal year-round structural interest in landscapes
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides dense nesting cover and protection for small birds and beneficial insects, though the toxic foliage is largely unpalatable to mammalian herbivores like deer and rabbits