Description

The Winter Gem boxwood is aptly named. As popular and lovely as they may be, most boxwood shrubs have a habit of having their shiny green foliage turn to a shade of bronze and even brown, during harsh winter months. This of course depends upon both the general region the shrub may have been planted in, in addition to its specific location. Cold and drying winter winds are normally responsible for this unfortunate change in color. The Winter Gem boxwood is an exception, at least when planted in those regions where it is known to be hardy. It maintains its green coloration throughout the four seasons. The Winter Gem boxwood still isn’t necessarily a good choice in just any region, but as its planting range extends from USDA Zone 5 and up, it can be grown in most parts of the country.

Culture – The Winter Gem is a cultivar of the microphylla species of the Buxus family of shrubs and plants. It grows in full sun or partial shade, and usually to a height of between 2 and 3 feet. When planting several of these boxwood plants for a border or as a garden perimeter, a spacing of 3 to 4 feet between plants is generally recommended. The Winter Gem boxwood is grown for its foliage, and not for its blossoms, which are quite inconspicuous. The flowers are somewhat fragrant however when they do appear in mid-spring. The foliage is a lighter green and the leaves a bit more rounded than is the case with the typical boxwood, but the Winter Gem is a very attractive plant. It can be propagated by hardwood cuttings, the seeds being sterile, but is almost always purchased in pots. Should you want to harvest the leaves, don’t. All parts of the Winter Gem boxwood are poisonous.

The Winter Gem is an ideal shrub for a formal garden. It takes to shearing and pruning quite well and can be a landscaping artist’s delight. A number of these shrubs, appropriately spaced, can make reasonably complicated patterns, so-called knot patterns, which, when viewed from a height, can be quite outstanding in appearance. If you just have a single plant, placed in the location of your choosing, the plant won’t disappoint either.