Japanese Box Care

Buxus microphylla is an evergreen Shrub growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 1.5 m (5ft) at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to May. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Bees, flies. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Buxus microphylla, the Japanese box or littleleaf box, is a species of flowering plant in the box family found in Japan and Taiwan. It is a dwarf evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and wide. In the case of Buxus microphylla var. japonica, the tree height is usually 1-3 m, but it can reach up to about 4 m; in rare cases it grows to 10 m. The trunk is upright and about 10 cm thick, and the bark is grayish white to pale brown. The bright green leaves are 10–25 millimetres (0.39–0.98 in) long, oval with a rounded or notched tip. The species was first described from Japanese cultivated plants of an unknown origin. They are unknown in the wild.