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Boxwood is a representative of ancient plants. Appeared about 30 million years ago. During this time, the shrub underwent virtually no evolutionary changes. The second name of the species is Bux from the Latin word “buxus”, which means “dense”. The plant is also called shamshit, bukshan, gevan, palm, green tree.
Boxwood - what kind of plant is it?
Boxwood is an evergreen tree or shrub. Belongs to the Boxwood family. The plant is used in ornamental gardening because it can withstand pruning. The compact forms of the plant are well suited for creating fancy figures, sculptures, borders, and hedges. Boxwood can be grown not only in the garden, but also in flowerpots in the form of bonsai.
The tree is distinguished by its thick crown, shiny leaves and frost resistance. It grows in the undergrowth of deciduous and mixed forests, on rocky embankments, in thickets of bushes, and shady areas. For an evergreen crop, 0.01 fraction of illumination is sufficient.Boxwood develops well on fertile, loose soils, then the bush produces significant growth. Depleted soils are also suitable for the plant. The shoots will be short, but densely leafy.
It is worth noting that in ancient times, boxwood wood was compared to amber in terms of strength. The trunks of mature trees sink in water due to their large mass. The maximum recorded lifespan of a shrub is 500 years.
What boxwood looks like
In the natural environment, there are mainly trees up to 15 m in height. The branches are straight, protruding, tetrahedral, roughly leafy. Nodes are formed next to each other. Characteristics of boxwood leaves.
- They are located opposite.
- The surface is leathery, matte or shiny.
- The color can be dark green, blue, light green closer to yellow.
- The foliage is short-petioled, round or oblong.
- A groove runs along the central vein.
- The edges are solid.
The flowers are small, unisexual. Stamens are located in capitate inflorescences, pistillate ones are solitary. Flowers attract little attention. The color of the petals is green. They are formed in the axils of young branches. The inflorescences are collected in a panicle.
The fruit is a small, round capsule. After ripening, the valves open. There are black seeds inside. Fruiting occurs in October.
Where does boxwood grow?
Boxwood is heat-loving and shade-tolerant and grows everywhere. However, it prefers slightly acidic, limestone soils. There are 3 habitats where the plant grows in nature:
- Euro-Asian – the territory of the spread of culture begins with the British Isles, passes through central Europe, Asia, Transcaucasia, China and reaches the borders of Japan and Sumatra.
- African – the shrub is found in the forests and forest-steppes of Equatorial Africa and Madagascar.
- Central American – the plant’s growing area covers the tropics and subtropics of Mexico and Cuba.
It is believed that American varieties are the largest-leaved and tallest. On average, the size of a tree on the American continent reaches 20 m in height.
In the Russian Federation, evergreen shrubs can be found on the Black Sea coast, in the gorges of the Caucasus Mountains. On the second tier grows a rare variety - Colchian boxwood.
In the Republic of Adygea, on the territory of the Kurdzhip forestry enterprise in the middle reaches of the Tsitsa River, there is a unique boxwood forest. The area of these lands is 200 hectares. The site has the status of a nature reserve and is guarded by patrols. Boxwood groves are also known in the city of Sochi and Abkhazia. The natural habitat of boxwood plantings is shrinking due to logging. As of August 2017, only 5.5 hectares of boxwood forests remained in Russia.
How fast does boxwood grow?
Under favorable conditions, boxwood grows up to 12 m in height. At the same time, the annual growth is only 5-6 cm. Young shoots are covered with thin, olive-colored skin, which over time becomes woody and acquires a brown tint. Slow growth and decorative crown make the plant an indispensable element of landscape design.
How boxwood blooms
An evergreen shrub begins to bloom at the age of 15-20 years and not earlier. The flowering time for boxwood is mid-June.However, in regions with a temperate climate, this process may be completely absent. Often the plant suffers from strong, drying winds in winter and scorching spring sun. As a result, the bush takes a long time to recover, not having the strength to form buds.
What does boxwood smell like?
Neither a photo nor a description can convey the smell emanating from a boxwood tree or shrub. It has an intense, pungent aroma that most people find unpleasant. In the fresh air, the odor emitted is practically not felt. Indoors, the plant spreads a kind of incense. Owners of the bushes note that it smells like cat urine.
Is boxwood poisonous or not?
When caring for boxwood, you should be careful and use personal protective equipment. The evergreen shrub is poisonous. The maximum concentration of harmful substances is concentrated in the leaves. The composition contains 70 flavonoids, there are also coumarins and tannins. The green mass and bark contain 3% alkaloids. Among the most dangerous substances is cyclobuxin D. After contact with the plant, you must wash your hands and change clothes. Restrict access of children and animals.
Types and varieties of boxwood
There are about 300 varieties of evergreen plants in nature. However, only a few are suitable for decorative purposes. Listed below are the types of boxwood with photos and exact names.
Evergreen
The habitat is the territory of the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. Grows well in the undergrowth of mixed forests or deciduous plantings. The plant is distinguished by its heat-loving disposition and does not tolerate cold winters.It is mainly a tree up to 15 m in height. Less common in shrub form.
This species is used to form landscape design or for horticultural purposes. If the tree is not pruned and the crown is formed, then the vertical size will be 3-3.5 m.
The leaves of the evergreen crop are elongated, 1.5-3 cm in length. The surface is shiny, smooth, rich green in color. There are several varieties of evergreen boxwood.
Suffruticosis
The shrub is characterized by slow growth. Vertical shoots grow up to 1 m. They are covered with plain, oblong leaves 2 cm in size. Used for borders and hedges.
Blauer Heinz
It is a low shrub with a slow growth rate. The leaves are leathery, green-blue in color. Suitable for creating carpet ornaments with a height of 20 cm. Blauer Heinz is a relatively new subspecies, differs from the previous variety in greater frost resistance, rigidity of stems, and compactness.
Elegance
The plants have a dense, spherical crown. The straight stems are densely leafy, growing up to 1 m in height. The leaves are variegated in color. A white border runs along the edge of the leaf plate. The culture is resistant to dry periods.
Small-leaved boxwood
The evergreen crop has high frost resistance. Able to tolerate frost down to -30°C. However, the plant is sensitive to the spring sun. The foliage is small, 1-2 cm. The height of the shrub itself does not exceed 1.5 m. It belongs to the Japanese or Korean descendants of boxwood. The plant is valued for its decorativeness and compactness of the crown. The most popular varieties:
- Winter Jam – a variety with fast growth and a dense crown. Easily tolerates pruning. Used to create topiary forms.
- Faulkner – This culture grows slowly. In this regard, the bush is given the shape of a ball.
Balearic boxwood
The homeland of the Balearic variety is Spain, Portugal, the Atlas Mountains in Mocha, the Balearic Islands. They have a large leaf blade: width – 3 cm, length – 4 cm. The shrub is characterized by rapid growth. Boxwood is thermophilic and does not tolerate cold. Needs constantly moist soil.
Colchis
The plant is found in the mountainous regions of Transcaucasia and Asia Minor. The height of this species is 15-20 m in height. The diameter of the trunk at the base is 30 cm. The variety is frost-resistant, the annual growth is 5 cm. The foliage is small and fleshy.
The meaning and use of boxwood
An evergreen plant that has long been used for landscaping garden plots. In regions with warm climates, shrubs are grown as borders, hedges, lawn decor, and bushes are shaped in interesting ways. It is also grown at home. The best option would be a bonsai tree.
Boxwood is a coreless tree species. When freshly cut, there is no difference in shade between mature wood and sapwood. Dried wood has a uniform matte color. The color is light yellow at first, but darkens over time. The medullary rays are invisible in the section. There is no smell.
Describing the evergreen shrub, it is worth noting the high qualities of boxwood. The wood is hard, uniform, heavy. Natural materials are used for production:
- musical instruments;
- chess pieces;
- machine parts;
- bobbins and weaving shuttles;
- elements of surgical and optical instruments;
- small dishes.
Cross-sawn wood is used in woodcut printing.It is believed that boxwood is an ideal material for engraving on wood. Offers for the sale of finished boxwood wood are rare, since its cost is high.
In the medical field, boxwood was in demand in ancient times. Then it was used to prepare remedies against malaria, chronic fevers, coughs, and gastrointestinal diseases. Nowadays, due to its toxicity, the evergreen plant is rarely used in the production of medicines, since it is difficult to determine the required amount of toxic components. An overdose can lead to vomiting, seizures and even death.
Conclusion
Boxwood is an ornamental plant that is resistant to adverse weather conditions. Young, recently rooted plants require special attention. Blooms inexpressively. The dense crown of the bush attracts attention. Landscape designers appreciate the compact form and discreet appearance of the evergreen shrub. Boxwood is a classic plant for topiary art.
The article wrote that boxwood has an unpleasant odor. I categorically disagree with this! Boxwood grows in an apartment. I really like its smell. It’s more associated with the sea, and I don’t see anything in its smell to do with cat urine or dirty socks!