Buxus

Buxus is a genus of about seventy species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box and boxwood. These plants have small, thick leaves and grow very slowly.

The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Most of these plants grow in warm places, but some from Europe and Asia can survive cold weather. Places like Cuba, China, and Madagascar have many different kinds of box plants.

They are slow-growing evergreen shrubs and small trees, growing to 2–12 m tall. The leaves are small and leathery, usually 1.5–5 cm long. The flowers are tiny and yellow-green, and the fruit is a small capsule containing several small seeds.

Scientists have studied the genes of two box species, Buxus austro-yunnanensis and Buxus sinica. This helps us understand how these plants live and grow in different parts of the world.

Selected species

The boxwood plant has many different types all over the world. Some grow in Europe, Asia, and northwest Africa, while others are found in Africa, Madagascar, and the Americas.

In Europe, northwest Africa, and Asia, you can find types like the Balearic box in the Balearic Islands and southern Spain, the Georgian box in the western Caucasus, and the common box in western and southern Europe. China and nearby places have many boxwood types too, such as Yunnan box and Hainan box.

Africa and Madagascar have types like the Cape box in South Africa and several special kinds only found in Madagascar. In the Americas, boxwoods grow in places like Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, including types like Vahl's box in Puerto Rico.

Selected cultivars

Some special types of boxwood plants are Buxus 'Green Velvet' and Buxus microphylla var. koreana 'Winter Gem'. People like them because they look special and are often used in gardens.

Uses

Cultivation

Box plants are often grown to make neat hedges and for shaping into fun shapes called topiary.

In parts of Europe, box plants can be damaged by insects called caterpillars. These caterpillars can quickly ruin a box hedge. They were first seen in Europe in 2007 and have been spreading since then.

Wood carving

Boxwood is a great wood for detailed wood carving because of its fine texture. It doesn’t split or break easily, making it good for decorative items or storage boxes.

Traditionally in Japan, special combs made from boxwood have been made since ancient times. Boxwood is also used for making chess pieces, with unstained wood for white pieces and stained wood for black pieces. The fine surface of boxwood makes it perfect for creating detailed carvings and for printing blocks. High-quality wooden spoons are often carved from boxwood as well.

Musical instruments

Because boxwood is very heavy and strong, it has been used for making parts of stringed instruments like tuning pegs and other small pieces. It was also a popular wood for making recorders a long time ago and is still used for some of them today. Before denser woods became popular, boxwood was used for making traditional wind instruments.

Historical

Before plastics were invented, boxwood was very useful because it is dense and stable. It was used to make many tools and devices like rulers, measuring tools, and other everyday items. Boxwood was chosen because it was better than other materials that were available at the time. It was also used to decorate hats during the American Civil War.