Plant Finder
Unraveled Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens 'Unraveled'
Height: 4 feet
Spread: 7 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5
Other Names: Common Box
Description:
This unusual variety has an upright weeping form that is low and wide when left naturally, or can be staked as a small tree or topiary; slow growing; takes pruning exceptionally well
Ornamental Features
Unraveled Boxwood is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its highly ornamental weeping form. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The small glossy oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter.
Landscape Attributes
Unraveled Boxwood is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Unraveled Boxwood is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
- Topiary
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Unraveled Boxwood will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Unraveled Boxwood makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Disclaimer - Rutgers Landscape & Nursery Plant Finder is an online resource representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact Rutgers directly for current availability.