Boxwood family. Homeland - Mediterranean countries, Asia, North Africa, Caucasus, Japan. The genus includes about 50 species.
In Russia, boxwood is often grown as a pot crop, and in areas with a warmer climate - and as a hedge.
In addition, boxwood is one of the classic plants for bonsai, for this boxwood has many advantages: it grows in small dishes, easily tolerates pruning, bushes well, has small leaves, and just a useful plant.
Boxwood evergreen Buxus sempervirens is an evergreen slow-growing shrub that reaches 10 m in height in nature. It has straight shoots densely covered with leaves. The leaves are oblong, blunted at the end, sessile, dark green. The flowers are small, rather nondescript, usually unisexual. Male flowers (stamens are collected in loose inflorescences), female flowers are single. Boxwood has a strong smell, which is not immediately felt, but if you rub the leaf with your hand. All parts of the plant contain substances poisonous to animals and humans.
Boxwood care
Temperature: In summer, the usual room temperature, although boxwood prefers to be placed outdoors. You can take it to the balcony when the threat of spring frosts passes, bring it in the fall, with the first cold weather. Boxwood should winter in cool conditions with limited watering. Optimally in winter about 5 ° C, in winter about 16-18 ° C, at least 12 ° C.
Lighting: Bright diffused light, preferably light sun in the morning or evening. In summer, shading from the direct midday sun will be required. Boxwood is placed in the natural shade of taller shrubs or trees in the garden.
Watering: Quite plentiful in summer, but after the top layer of soil dries up. In winter, depending on the temperature, more scarce, after thoroughly drying the land (preventing complete drying of the land to a state of dust).
Fertilizer: Between March and August, every 2 weeks. Fertilizer for azaleas and rhododendrons is suitable.
Air humidity: Responds well to periodic spraying with settled water.
Transplantation: Annually into soil with a pH reaction close to neutral. Mixture of 1 part of coniferous earth, 2 parts of sheet earth, 1 part of sand (vermiculite, perlite). You can add pieces of birch charcoal. Good drainage is required, the capacity for planting should not be too spacious, otherwise the plant slows down in growth.
If you bought boxwood from a shop, it's likely planted in a shipping pot and peat land. One of the reasons for the death of such a plant in the near future after the purchase is injury to the root system. Do not try to dig out the roots and completely rid the plant of the old land, it is better to limit yourself to transshipment into a slightly larger container. If the roots stick out of the drainage holes (as in the photo), do not try to tear them off. You need to cut them with a sharp knife along the bottom, then take out the plant.
Reproduction: Cuttings and seeds. Cuttings take a long and difficult time to root. Cuttings are cut at the end of summer, they should be semi-lignified at the base, be no longer than 7 cm and have 2-3 internodes. For rooting, it is recommended to use phytohormones (root, heteroauxin) and soil heating in a room greenhouse.