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Boxwood

Buxus

The Formal Foundation: Buxus (Boxwood)


The Snapshot

  • Common Name: Boxwood, Box

  • Scientific Name: Buxus spp. (Most common: B. sempervirens and B. microphylla)

  • Hardiness: Zones 5 – 9 (Bulletproof across NJ).

  • The "Vibe": Timeless, architectural, and steady; the "Little Black Dress" of the landscape.


  • Year-Round Structure: While your hydrangeas are sticks and your perennials are underground, the Boxwood stands as a solid green anchor in the NJ snow.

  • Infinite Versatility: You can let them grow into soft, billowing clouds for a "cottage" look, or shear them into sharp, geometric cubes and balls for a modern or formal look.

  • Deer Resistance: This is their "Superpower." Boxwoods contain alkaloids that taste bitter to deer. Even in the most deer-infested parts of Morris or Somerset County, Boxwoods are usually left completely alone.

  • The "Evergreen Border": They are the classic choice for a "low hedge" that keeps a garden bed looking neat and contained 365 days a year.

Stories from the Garden

"I have a colonial-style house in Moorestown, and nothing felt right until I put in a low hedge of 'Winter Gem' Boxwoods along the front path. They stay green even in the dead of winter, and they never get out of control. I give them one quick trim in June, and they look perfect for the rest of the year. Plus, I never have to worry about the deer eating them, which is a miracle in this neighborhood."

— Sarah V., Zone 7 Gardener (Moorestown, NJ)


Designer Tips: Where to Plant

  • The "Anchor" of the Bed: Use a large, rounded Boxwood at the end of a flower bed to "stop" the eye and give the bed a sense of completion.

  • The Symmetrical Frame: Plant two matching 'Dee Runk' or Standard Boxwoods on either side of a front door or a garden gate to create a high-end, stately entrance.

  • The Winter Interest Mix: Pair Boxwoods with Red-Twig Dogwood or Hellebores. The solid green of the Boxwood makes the colorful stems and winter flowers pop.

Designer Pro-Tip: The "Boxwood Blight" Check. When buying for your Wix site, always look for "Blight Resistant" cultivars. Varieties like NewGen Independence® or NewGen Freedom® are the new gold standard for NJ because they are bred to resist the diseases that can occasionally bother older varieties.

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