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Boxwood is a representative of ancient plants. Appeared about 30 million years ago. During this time, the shrub has practically not undergone evolutionary changes. The second name of the species is Bux from the Latin word “buxus”, which means “dense” in translation. The plant is also called shamshit, bukshan, gevan, palm tree, 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, as it tolerates a haircut. The compact forms of the plant are well suited for creating whimsical figures, sculptures, borders, hedges. Boxwood can be grown not only in the garden, but also in flowerpots in the form of bonsai.
The tree is distinguished by a dense crown, shiny leaves and frost resistance. It grows on the undergrowth of deciduous and mixed forests, on rocky embankments, in thickets of shrubs, shady areas. For an evergreen crop, 0,01 of the light fraction is enough. Boxwood develops well on fertile, loose soils, then the shrub gives a significant increase. Depleted soils are also suitable for the plant. Shoots will be short, but densely leafy.
It should be noted that in ancient times, boxwood wood was compared with 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 does boxwood look like
In the natural environment, there are mainly trees up to 15 m in height. The branches are straight, protruding, tetrahedral, roughly leafy. Nodes form next to each other. Characteristics of boxwood leaves.
- They are located opposite.
- The surface is leathery, matte or shiny.
- The color is dark green, blue, light green closer to yellow.
- The foliage is short-petiolate, round or oblong.
- A groove runs along the central vein.
- Edges are solid.
Flowers small, unisexual. Stamens are located in capitate inflorescences, pistillate – solitary. Flowers attract little attention. The color of the petals is green. They are formed in the axils of young branches. Inflorescences are collected in a panicle.
The fruit is a small, round capsule. After maturation, the wings open. Inside are black seeds. Fruiting occurs in October.
Where does boxwood grow
Boxwood is a coniferous plant, heat-loving and shade-tolerant, it grows everywhere. However, it prefers slightly acidic, limestone soils. There are 3 areas of plant growth in nature:
- Euro-Asian – the territory of distribution of coniferous culture begins with the British Isles, passes through central Europe, Asia, Transcaucasia, China and reaches the borders of Japan and Sumatra.
- Африканский – a shrub is found in the forests and forest-steppes of Equatorial Africa, in Madagascar.
- Central American – the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbgrowth of the plant captures the tropics and subtropics of Mexico, Cuba.
It is believed that American varieties are the most large-leaved and tall. On average, the size of a tree in the Americas reaches 20 m in height.
In the Federation, an evergreen shrub can be found on the Black Sea coast, in the gorges of the Caucasus Mountains. A rare variety grows on the second tier – Colchis boxwood.
In the Republic of Adygea, on the territory of the Kurdzhip forestry, 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 reserve and is guarded by a patrol. Boxwood groves are also known in the city of Sochi and in Abkhazia. The natural range of boxwood plantings is shrinking due to cuttings. As of August 2017, only 5,5 hectares of boxwood forests remained in Our Country.
How fast boxwood grows
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 a thin, olive-colored skin, which eventually becomes stiff 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 of boxwood falls in mid-June. However, in regions with a temperate climate, this process may be completely absent. Often the plant suffers from strong, withering winds in winter and the scorching spring sun. As a result, the shrub recovers for a long time, not having the strength to form buds.
What does boxwood smell like?
Neither the photo nor the description can convey the smell emanating from a tree or boxwood shrub. It has an intense, pungent flavor that most people find unpleasant. In the fresh air, the exhaled smell is practically not felt. In a closed room, the plant spreads a kind of incense. The owners of the bushes note that it smells like cat urine.
Boxwood is poisonous or not
In the process of caring for boxwood, you should be careful, 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, tannins. In green mass and bark 3% alkaloids. Among the most dangerous substances is cyclobuxin D. After contact with the plant, wash your hands and change clothes. Restrict access to children and animals.
Types and varieties of boxwood
There are about 300 varieties of evergreen in nature. However, only a few are suitable for decorative purposes. Below are the types of boxwood with photos and exact names.
Evergreen
The habitat is the territory of the Caucasus and the Mediterranean. It grows well on the undergrowth of mixed forests or deciduous plantings. The plant is distinguished by its thermophilic disposition, it does not tolerate cold winters. It is mainly a tree up to 15 m in height. Rarely found in shrub form.
Use this species for the formation of landscape design or for horticultural purposes. If the tree is not cut and formed into a crown, then the vertical size will be 3-3,5 m.
The leaves of the evergreen culture are elongated, the size is 1,5-3 cm in length. The surface is shiny, smooth, deep green. There are several varieties of boxwood evergreen.
Suffruticosis
The shrub is characterized by slow growth. Vertical shoots grow up to 1 m. They are covered with monophonic, oblong leaves 2 cm in size. It is used for borders and hedges.
Blauer Heinz
It is a low shrub with a slow growth rate. The leaves are leathery, green-blue. Suitable for creating carpet ornaments 20 cm high. Blauer Heinz is a relatively new subspecies, differs from the previous variety in greater frost resistance, stiffness of the stems, and compactness.
Elegance
The plants have a dense, spherical crown. Straight stems are densely leafy, grow up to 1 m in height. The leaves are variegated. A white border runs along the edge of the leaf plate. The culture is resistant to dry periods.
Small-leaved boxwood
The evergreen culture has high rates of 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 decorative effect and compactness of the crown. The most popular varieties:
- Winter Jam – a variety with fast growth and a dense crown. Easily tolerates pruning. It is used to create topiary forms.
- Faulkner This culture is growing slowly. In this regard, the bush is given the shape of a ball.
Balearic boxwood
The birthplace of the Balearic variety is Spain, Portugal, the Atlas Mountains in Mocha, the Balearic Islands. They have a large size of the leaf plate: width – 3 cm, length – 4 cm. The shrub is characterized by rapid growth. Boxwood is thermophilic, does not tolerate cold. Needs constantly moist soil.
Colchis
The plant is found in the mountainous regions of Transcaucasia, 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 resistant to frost, the annual growth is 5 cm. The foliage is small, fleshy.
The meaning and application of boxwood
An evergreen plant that has long been used for landscaping garden plots. In regions with a warm climate, shrubs are grown as borders, hedges, lawn decor, and bushes are interestingly formed. Grow it also at home. The best option would be a bonsai tree.
Boxwood is a non-core tree species. In a fresh cut, there are no differences in hue between mature wood and sapwood. The dried wood has a uniform matte color. At first, the color is light yellow, but darkens with time. The core rays are invisible on the cut. There is no smell.
Describing an evergreen shrub, it is worth noting the high quality of boxwood. The wood is hard, homogeneous, heavy. Use natural material for the production of:
- musical instruments;
- chess pieces;
- machine parts;
- spools and weaving shuttles;
- elements of surgical and optical instruments;
- small dishes.
Cross-sawn wood is used in woodcuts. It is believed that boxwood is an ideal material for engraving on wood. Offers for the sale of finished wood from boxwood are rare, because its cost is high.
In the medical field, boxwood was in demand in ancient times. Then, remedies against malaria, chronic fevers, coughs, and gastrointestinal diseases were prepared from it. Now, due to toxicity, an evergreen plant is rarely used in the manufacture of medicines, since it is difficult to determine the required amount of toxic components. Overdose leads to vomiting, convulsions and even death.
Conclusion
Boxwood is an ornamental plant that is resistant to adverse weather conditions. Young, recently established plants require special attention. Blooms inconspicuously. The dense crown of the shrub attracts attention. Landscape designers appreciate the compact form and discreet look of the evergreen shrub. Boxwood is a classic plant for topiary art.
