Boxwood Buxus sempervirens

Names

• Family

  Buxaceae

• Synonyms

  Common Box, European Box, Boxwood

• Common names

  Buxus angustifolia, Buxus arborescens, Buxus argentea, Buxus aurea, Buxus balearica, Buxus colchica, Buxus communis, Buxus condensa, Buxus elegans, Buxus ellipticifolia, Buxus florentina, Buxus glomerata, Buxus hyrcana, Buxus latifolia, Buxus longifolia, Buxus macrophylla, Buxus microphylla, Buxus myrtilloides, Buxus neapolitana, Buxus obtusifolia, Buxus palmata, Buxus pyramidalis, Buxus rotundifolia, Buxus sempervirens var. balearica, Buxus sempervirens var. brevifolia, Buxus sempervirens var. fastigiata, Buxus sempervirens var. longifolia, Buxus tomentosa, Buxus valentina, Buxus versicolor, Buxus wallichiana.

Toxicity

• To humans

  The common boxwood is toxic to humans if ingested. Its leaves and stems contain alkaloids such as buxine, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and convulsions. In severe cases, ingestion may result in respiratory failure and can be fatal. It is important to avoid consuming any part of the common boxwood.

• To pets

  The common boxwood is also toxic to pets. Ingesting the leaves or stems can cause similar symptoms as in humans, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially leading to seizures or respiratory failure. It is critical to prevent pets from chewing or ingesting any part of the common boxwood to avoid these toxic effects.

Characteristics

• Life cycle

  Perennials

• Foliage type

  Evergreen

• Color of leaves

  Green

• Height

  5-15 feet (1.5-4.5 meters)

• Spread

  5-15 feet (1.5-4.5 meters)

• Plant type

  Shrub

• Hardiness zones

  5-9

• Native area

  Europe

General Benefits

Evergreen Foliage: Buxus sempervirens, commonly known as boxwood, maintains its greenery throughout the year, providing color and structure in all seasons.
Topiary and Shaping: Due to its dense growth habit and ease of pruning, boxwood is ideal for creating topiaries, hedges, and other formal garden designs.
Drought Tolerance: Once established, boxwood is relatively drought tolerant, requiring less frequent watering compared to other plants.
Shade Tolerance: Boxwood can grow in a variety of light conditions, including shaded areas where other plants might struggle to thrive.
Deer Resistance: The plant is not a favorite for deer, making it a good choice in areas where deer browsing can be a problem for gardens.
Soil Adaptability: It is adaptable to a wide range of soil types, although it prefers well-drained soils.
Windbreaks and Barriers: When planted in rows, boxwood can act as a windbreak or a privacy screen, adding functionality to its ornamental use.
Historical Significance: With a long history of cultivation, it is often used in historic gardens and can add a sense of tradition to landscapes.
Pest Resistance: Boxwood is resistant to many pests, though it can still be susceptible to boxwood blight and other diseases.
Longevity: As a slow-growing plant, boxwood can live for many years and can be considered an investment in the landscape.

Medical Properties

• Antirheumatic: Historically, Buxus sempervirens, commonly known as boxwood, was used in European folk medicine to treat rheumatic conditions.
• Antiseptic: The plant has been cited to possess antiseptic properties, potentially useful in preventing or combating bacterial infection.
• Antispasmodic: Boxwood has been suggested to relieve spasms of the muscles.
• Antihelmintic: Traditionally, it was used to expel parasitic worms from the body.
• Purgative: In the past, boxwood was used as a strong laxative to cleanse the digestive tract, though it can be toxic.
• Antimalarial: Boxwood has been used in folk medicine as an antimalarial agent.
• Antihyperglycemic: Some sources mention the potential use of boxwood in lowering blood sugar, indicating possible antidiabetic properties.

Air-purifying Qualities

This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.

Other Uses

• Buxus sempervirens, commonly known as Boxwood, has been traditionally used for woodcarving due to its fine-grain and high-density wood, which lends itself to detailed work and smooth finishes.
• The wood of Boxwood is valued for making musical instruments such as recorders and woodwinds, where consistency and durability of the material affect the sound quality.
• Boxwood is used as a material for printing blocks, particularly before the advent of metal and modern printing materials, due to its ability to hold fine detail without wearing down easily.
• In chess, Boxwood is a classic material for crafting chess pieces, allowing for intricate detailing and a satisfying weight to each piece.
• The plant's dense foliage and ease of shaping make Boxwood a popular choice for topiary art, creating elaborate shapes and designs in formal gardens.
• Landscape designers utilize Boxwood for garden mazes and knot gardens due to its ability to be trimmed into precise lines and hedges, creating complex patterns.
• Boxwood branches and leaves are sometimes used in floral arrangements and wreaths, especially during the holiday season for their evergreen quality and sturdiness.
• Because of its hardness and resistance to splitting, Boxwood is a preferred material for making engraving blocks used in fine art printmaking.
• In marquetry, a craft where pieces of veneer are applied to a structure to form decorative patterns, Boxwood is used for its smooth texture and color contrast.
• Boxwood sawdust and shavings are often used in filling pincushions, as they can help sharpen pins and needles due to the wood's fine texture.

Feng Shui

The Boxwood is not used in Feng Shui practice.

Zodiac Sign Compitability

The Boxwood is not used in astrology practice.

Plant Symbolism

• Eternity: Buxus sempervirens, commonly known as the Boxwood, is an evergreen shrub, which symbolizes eternal life or immortality due to its year-round green leaves.
• Stoicism: With its ability to withstand harsh pruning and still maintain its shape, the Boxwood represents stoicism and the ability to remain undaunted by life's challenges.
• Formality: Boxwood's common use in formal garden designs conveys a sense of order, structure, and formality, indicating discipline and adherence to traditional values.
• Man's Triumph Over Nature: Because Boxwoods can be easily shaped and controlled, they can symbolize humanity's desire and ability to mold and shape the natural world to its will.