Sometimes, you just want a boxwood that stays small and tidy. You want those crisp, green lines without the plant taking over the entire garden or smothering its neighbors. To get that perfect look, you really only need to focus on two things: picking the right variety and keeping up with your pruning.
Go for Slow-Growing Varieties
Boxwood varieties generally fall into three categories: slow, medium, and fast growers. If you don’t want to be out there with your shears every other week, your best bet is to plant a slow-growing (dwarf) variety. Luckily, there are plenty of options that look great and stay compact. Here are a few of my favorites:
‘Blauer Heinz’
- Annual growth: 1.5 to 2.5 inches
- Height: 4 to 24 inches (the shortest variety out there!)
- Width: 4 to 24 inches
- Foliage: Beautiful blue-green tint
‘Elegantissima’
- Annual growth: 1.5 to 2.5 inches
- Height: 40 to 60 inches
- Width: 20 to 40 inches
- Foliage: Dark green with a classy cream-colored edge
‘Falkner’
- Annual growth: 2 to 6 inches
- Height: 40 to 80 inches
- Width: 40 to 80 inches
- Foliage: Deep dark green
‘Herrenhausen’
- Annual growth: 3 to 6 inches
- Height: 12 to 24 inches
- Width: 20 to 28 inches
- Foliage: Dark green
‘Suffruticosa’
- Annual growth: 1 to 2 inches
- Height: 12 to 24 inches
- Width: 20 to 40 inches
- Foliage: Bright, light green
Quick Tip:
If you’re planning on shaping your boxwood into complex topiary designs, you’re actually better off with faster-growing types like ‘Rotundifolia’ or ‘Globosa.’ You’ll just have to be more diligent about pruning to keep them at the size you want.
Keeping Boxwood Small with Pruning
Whatever you do, don’t try to stunt your plant’s growth by watering less or skipping the fertilizer. A hungry, thirsty boxwood is a weak boxwood, and that’s just an invitation for diseases or pests. Instead, use your shears to manage its size. Boxwoods are incredibly hardy when it comes to pruning, so don’t be afraid to clip them. Here’s the game plan:
- Only prune between April and September.
- Do your heavy shaping shortly after the first spring growth appears.
- Maintenance trims can be done through mid-August.
- If needed, you can touch them up every four weeks during the growing season.
- Don’t worry about cutting back too far—boxwood can even sprout from old wood.
Quick Tip:
As long as your clippings are healthy, don’t throw them away! You can compost them or shred them up to use as mulch for your other garden plants.
