Common box

Common box grows slowly and densely, with small evergreen leaves that reduce naturally in a pot without needing defoliation, and old specimens develop pale, attractively textured bark. It tolerates deep shade and hard pruning equally well, which is why it has been used for clipped hedging and topiary for centuries before bonsai.

Care at a glance

Watering

Check daily in growing season; box dislikes drying out completely. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 6 in winter.

Light

Full sun to light shade.

Winter

Hardy once established; a forgiving, dense grower. Protect it when the forecast drops below -12 °C.

Feeding

Every 21 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.

Repotting

Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar or Apr.

Growth

Slow growing. Hardy in zones 6 to 9.

The work calendar

Styles that suit it

MoyogiHokidachiSokanYose-ue

← All species