Boxwood is an important plant shrub that can be used for both your interior and exterior garden. The plant is attractive and is reputed to be the type of shrub that you can leave without trimming, yet it will look as perfect and as beautiful as possible. When it comes to the best landscaping plant, boxwood takes the forefront as the go-to plant for all landscaping projects. Let us pause for a moment before we go further into all you need to know about how long do boxwoods take to grow.
It is imperative to state that there different varieties of boxwood, and their growth rate can be slightly different from the others. However, the approach adopted in this piece is a middle point approach, that is, an average overall rate of how long do boxwoods take to grow. Another interesting fact about boxwood is that it is such a plant that can look beautiful even when left untrimmed. If you consider topiary, the boxwood is the perfect plant to train into any form, shape, or style to get that desired result in your home or garden.
History of the boxwood
Historically, the boxwood plant is one of those plants that have played a crucial part in garden history for over a hundred years. As a hedge plant, it is used widely because of its ability to withstand any weather conditions, and it is easy to grow and can grow all seasons. Another interesting fact about the boxwood shrub is that it has the adaptability to grow and survive in any region once cultured in the right way.
A fun fact is that boxwood has been cultivated as far back as 4000BC in ancient Egypt. And its wood is said to be suitable for making rulers, musical instruments, and many other utensils that other wood plants can not make.
In Asia and the Americas, natives have recorded that boxwood has medicinal value. It is renowned in treating diseases and infections. Some known types of diseases and infections that the boxwood has cured are fevers, epilepsy, toothaches, and rheumatism. These facts are credited to Gardener’s Paths.
When it comes to varieties, boxwood comes in different shapes and lengths. These, according to Proven Winners are;
- The Spreading
- The pyramidal
- The Upright
- The Rounded
For gardens, there are specific types of boxwood that are used often. These boxwoods are the Korean boxwood, the American boxwood – though this is not native to North America, the English boxwood varieties, and the Japanese boxwood. These are all ideal for gardens that are looking into topiaries.
If you are looking at propagating boxwood, you will learn all you need to know about how long do boxwoods take to grow and other procedures that you may require to maintain the plant, among others. So let us get into the crux of the topic.
How long do boxwoods take to grow
First, you should know as a foundation that boxwood are slow-growing shrub when compared to other shrubs of similar types. Though, how long they can grow can be broken down into three different growth rates. These are the Slow Growing, the Medium Growing, and the Fast growing. The statistics of how it takes each of the growth rate species to develop will be given in the preceding paragraphs. But have it at the back of your mind that even when we talk about the fast growth rate of boxwood, it does not rank so well compared to other shrubs that can be for topiaries.
According to Home Guides, the average overall growth rate of the boxwood of any species does not exceed 12 inches per year. That figure may seem an overestimation, but they had taken into account what culture procedures were used when planting boxwoods.
When you examine the Japanese boxwood growth rate, it does not grow more than 2-3 inches in width or length a year. Whereas the Wintergreen boxwood shrub is known to grow at least 2 to 3 inches in a season. This calculation takes into account when they are both not pruned.
Now back to the growth rate statistics of the above-mentioned boxwood growth rate. The numbers are listed below.
Slow growth rate boxwood
It takes a slow-growth rate boxwood a year to grow up to an inch. That is the minimum growth when we talk about a very slow-growing boxwood.
Medium growth rate boxwood
The medium growth rate boxwood typically adds 2 to 3 inches per year. This is as stated by Plantophiles.
Fast growth rate boxwood
For the fast growth rate of boxwood, it takes approximately a year to grow to a height of 4 to 6 inches. On a related note, we believe these numbers can be improved once propagating boxwood from cuttings is done in the right manner. There are several ways that a garden may adopt to add to how it takes a boxwood to grow. Therefore you have advised to leverage the growth and maintenance techniques of the boxwood to get the desired results.
How to grow boxwoods from cutting
Are you thinking of growing boxwood from cuttings? That is a nice thought. You will be saving yourself a lot of money doing that. But you must follow the procedures and steps if you do not want to regret your decision. Growing boxwoods from cutting must be done in a systematic way, for it to be nurtured and grow into that beautiful shrub you see in gardens.
Step 1: Plan the season
The perfect time to grow boxwood from cutting is mid-summer or close to last summer.
Step 2: Prepare your pot
It is necessary to prepare the pot with soil before you do your boxwood cuttings. The ideal pot size should be about 4-5 inches in width, and you must ensure there are holes in the pot for drainage purposes.
On the perfect soil to use, some gardeners prefer using a mixture of about 3-4 soils; such may include compost and sand part perlite. Ensure you go for the soil with the required nutrients for the boxwood.
Step 3: Select your cuttings
From a healthy boxwood plant, select and cut a sturdy stem. You can use a gardening shear for this purpose. Ensure that it is not damaged or diseased from pest infestation. The perfect length for boxwood cutting is about 4-5 inches. After the cutting has been done, you want to remove all the leaves from the bottom of the cuttings to allow room for planting.
Step 4: Stick the cutting
In this step, you want to stick the boxwood cutting into the prepared pot. You might want to use a pencil to put the plant in a stable position and prevent it from bending over.
Step 5: Keep the pot in a conducive location
The best location to keep the boxwood cutting pot is a place that does not receive direct sunlight. And you must ensure that the place is quite warm. Check your cuttings frequently to ensure the soil is moist, and your plant is growing in health. It will take your boxwood cuttings about one month for them to develop roots. You should tug at the cutting after 4 weeks to see if it has developed root. If it has not, then you have to observe the plant for a while longer.
The boxwood that has developed roots should be ready for transplant in about 3 weeks. And give it another 2 to 3 months for them to root properly, and transfer to the outdoors the coming spring.
How to make boxwoods grow faster
Boxwood as stated above are slow-growing shrub, but there are tips you can follow if you want them to grow faster. These are:
- Prune your boxwood periodically at the top and down the bottom. It leaves space for the sun to get to the root and for proper photosynthesis to take
- There are varieties of boxwood. However, you must choose the right one that grows well in your region or climate.
- Water your boxwood only once or week or when it is necessary. You get to know this necessity when you keep your finger in the soil. Dry soil means your boxwood needs watering, while wet soil means watering is not needed.
- Plant your boxwood with space in between each plant. The ideal space for larger boxwood is around 4 to 5 inches to promote fast growth, whereas 2 to 3 inches of space is enough for a smaller boxwood to grow fast.
- Frequently test that the soil is still acidic as boxwood prefers acidic soils to alkaline. Where the soil is defective you can improve it with compost manure or any acidic fertilizer.
How long do boxwoods take to grow: Tips
- Do not water the boxwood everyday
- Check for pest infestation and control invasions before they happen.
- Prune your boxwood frequently to help it grow healthy.
- Always select the variety that goes with the soil in your location for faster growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are boxwoods hard to grow?
No. Boxwood is a very easy shrub to grow. They can be grown by anyone, regardless that you are not a seasoned gardener.
Do boxwoods grow slowly?
It depends on the growth rate of the boxwood you are considering. But generally, boxwood is a slow-growing shrub. The average recorded growth for boxwood plants is about 4 to 6 inches annually.
How long does it take boxwood to mature?
From cutting to maturity it will take boxwood 1 to 2 years to grow. That is the minimum rate to maturity. But some boxwood can mature faster than 2 years.
How fast do wintergreen boxwoods grow?
The wintergreen boxwoods grow at a rate of 2 to 3 inches each year. But the growth rate can be increased with the right tips stated above.
Conclusion
This article has discussed how long do boxwoods take to grow in detail and other tips and guides to ensure that your boxwood grows in a healthy way and as fast as possible. You should follow all the tips above and desire to have your boxwood growing fast.
References
- https://studioapartmenthub.com/how-long-does-it-take-boxwood-to-grow-into-a-hedge-2/
- https://www.provenwinners.com/learn/how-plant/boxwood
- https://myperfectplants.com/blogs/grow-guides/grow-guide-for-boxwood-plants
- https://myperfectplants.com/blogs/grow-guides/grow-guide-for-boxwood-plants
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/slow-boxwood-growth-30107.html
- https://gardenerspath.com/plants/ornamentals/grow-boxwood-shrubs/
- https://www.urbanorganicyield.com/how-fast-do-boxwoods-grow/
- https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Boxwood-Shrubs
- https://growingthehomegarden.com/how-to-propagate-boxwoods-from-cuttings/
- https://gardening.org/propagate-boxwoods-from-cuttings/
- https://www.flowerpatchfarmhouse.com/easy-propagate-boxwood-with-cuttings/
- https://www.hortmag.com/smart-gardening/how-to-propagate-boxwoods-from-cuttings
- https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/boxwood/rooting-boxwood-bushes.htm
- https://plantophiles.com/gardening/how-to-make-boxwoods-grow-faster/
