Winter Gem Boxwood

Name: Winter Gem Boxwood
Brand: Monrovia
SKU: 01383

Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Winter Gem'

Pronunciation: BUK-sus my-kroh-FIL-uh juh-PON-ih-kuh

SKU #01383

USDA Zone

5-9

Your climate might be too cold for this plant:

OVERVIEW
Description	An excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges. Among the hardiest of the small-leaved boxwoods, the rich green foliage can acquire a golden bronze hue in cold winter zones, but is one of the first to become green again in spring. Makes a wonderful addition to formal gardens, providing year-round interest.
Light	Full sun, Partial sun
Watering	Water when top 3 inches of soil is dry.
Blooms	Inconspicuous; prized for foliage.
Mature Size	Reaches 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide.

STYLE
Landscape Use	Border, Container, Hedge, Privacy Screen, Suitable for Topiary
Design Ideas	This is the classic hedge plant. Its dense, evergreen growth makes it perfect for shearing into a small, formal hedge. Ideal for defining different spaces in the garden or for a tidy foundation cover-up. It is especially lovely against red brick. Use as a partition to divide your front yard or driveway from your neighbor's. Also beautiful as background foliage. Creates lovely topiaries, particularly in cone shapes if planted where it snows. An excellent plant for parterres and hedge mazes. Keeps its color over winter.
Flower Color	Yellow
Foliage Color	Green
Companion Plants	Spirea (Spiraea); Lilac (Syringa); Weigela (Weigela); Maiden Grass (Miscanthus); Coneflower (Echinacea); Gayfeather (Liatris)

CARE
Care	Thrives in enriched, well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soils. Mulch root zone to conserve moisture and to keep roots cool. Water deeply and regularly during the first few growing seasons to establish an extensive root system; reduce frequency once established. Apply fertilizer in early spring. Prune as needed to shape.

HISTORY
Lore	A Latin translation for Buxus is 'box'and the name may have been derived from its use to make small, finely carved boxes known in Greek as pyxos. Buxus is also Latin for flute; it is said that Roman gardener Pliny grew Buxus for making musical instruments. Dating back to 4,000 BC, Egyptians used clipped box hedges in their gardens. In Britain, three burial sites of the Roman era featured coffins lined with sprays of evergreen box. During the reign of Emperor Augustus, villas were planted with boxwood hedging and topiary, and during the reign of Henry V11, it has been written that Tudor gardens featured clipped boxwood knot gardens with thrift or cotton lavender bordering them.

This Plant's Growing Zones: 5-9