Types Of Boxwood Shrubs-Your Ultimate Guide

Choosing the right one among the different types of boxwood shrubs can be challenging which is why you need to be armed with the right information before you decide to settle for one type. Lucky for you, I have researched about this subject matter and I am going to share what I have found out about the different varieties of boxwood plants in this article.

I do not research about things just for fun. I have researched about this topic because I am also thinking about planting boxwood shrubs in my garden and I have heard that there are a number of varieties to choose from and each of these varieties have different needs and characteristics. I made a list of the most popular varieties of boxwood and here it is.

Types Of Boxwood Shrubs—English Boxwood

This is probably the most popular type of boxwood grown in gardens and yards. This variety can grow up to 3 feet in height at a rate of 1 inch per year. According to my research, it was first grown in the United States in the early 1700s. The English variety produces small flowers that are not attractive which makes the plant non-ornamental. These flowers come out in spring and the plant is considered as an evergreen. When not trimmed properly, wild English boxwood grows like a cloud, though the usual shape is round.

Types Of Boxwood Shrubs—American Boxwood

This is the perfect choice if you live in the northern region, like I do, because American boxwoods can tolerate very cold weather. The flowers of this variety of boxwood are small and pale green in color, although these are not the main considerations when choosing American boxwood. American boxwoods are some of the tallest varieties of boxwoods. They can grow up to 10 feet, although I’ve seen an American boxwood tree that stands about 20 feet. But I think these really tall boxwood trees are not common. The waxy leaves are dark green on the top side and pale green on the underside.

Boxwood Shrub Types—Japanese Boxwood

Japanese are known for their bonsais, although Japanese boxwood has nothing to do with bonsais. I just want to point out that Japanese plants usually have smaller parts than similar plants grown in other countries. Japanese boxwood is called littleleaf because of its small leaves which are smaller than leaves of other boxwood varieties. However, they grow higher than the English variety. Japanese boxwoods can grow up to 6 to 8 feet in height, although they are not usually cultivated this high.

Boxwood Shrub Types—Korean Boxwood

The foliage of the first three varieties is dense while the Korean boxwood tends to grow leaves that have wide gaps in between. This allows the air to penetrate the inner parts of the foliage, making it less prone to damage caused by strong wind. Korean types of boxwood shrubs grow up to 4 feet and bloom in springtime, although they can also survive harsh weather conditions in winter.