Buxus microphylla var microphylla

Common Name:
Japanese Box

Description:
Buxus microphylla var. microphylla, commonly known as Japanese Box, is a compact, evergreen shrub favoured for its dense growth, small glossy leaves, and versatility in formal and informal garden designs. Native to Japan and Taiwan, this slow-growing species is ideal for shaping and responds exceptionally well to regular pruning, making it a go-to choice for hedging, topiary, and borders in Melbourne’s temperate climate. It features rounded, bright green leaves that maintain their colour year-round and form a neat, tidy shrub with minimal maintenance. Japanese Box is best grown in full sun to part shade with well-drained soil, and it’s more heat-tolerant than English Box, making it a popular choice for Australian gardens. It requires only occasional watering once established and can be clipped to shape at any time of year, with the best results seen from pruning in late winter or early spring.

Form:
Shrub - Small
Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:
Height: 0.6 – 1 m (can grow taller if left unpruned)
Width: 0.6 – 1 m

Aspect:
Full Sun
Part Shade

Flowering:
Flowers in Spring
Does not flower under Melbourne's weather conditions (significantly ornamental)

Flower Colour:
Pale Cream (inconspicuous, rarely noticeable)

Key Attributes:
Suitable for Pots
Perennial
Suitable for Hedging
Suitable for Topiary
Low Maintenance
Evergreen
Frost Tolerant
Slow Growing
Highly Clip-Tolerant

Toxicity:
Toxic if ingested – may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in humans and animals

Companion Plants:
Lavandula angustifolia
Rosa spp. (Standard or Shrub)
Salvia nemorosa
Buxus sempervirens (for contrast in shape or texture)
Hydrangea macrophylla

For more information and photos of this species, Warners Nursery has detailed information available to the public here