Harland Boxwood

Harland Boxwood (Buxus harlandii) is the box to plant where English Box struggles. It reaches about 1.2m tall and 1m wide, with narrow glossy leaves on upright stems, and it holds a crisp clipped edge in heat and humidity that leaves other box thin. Slow, dense growth makes it a hedge and topiary plant that stays where you put it.

Why you'll love it

• It handles humidity and heat. Subtropical and warm temperate summers do not mark it, the main reason to choose it over English Box in a northern garden.
• A clean formal line. Fine dense foliage takes shears without tearing, so hedges, balls and cones hold a sharp finish.
• Slow growth means less work. One or two trims a year is enough, and it will not outgrow a courtyard bed.
• Wide climate range. Frost hardy, heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so it works from cool temperate districts to the subtropics.

Where it works best

Low hedging and edging. Plant 400mm apart in a single row. At that spacing the plants meet cleanly without competing, and the row clips to a sharp face within two to three seasons.

Topiary and shaping. Balls, cones and standards hold their shape because growth is slow and even. A matched pair either side of an entry is the classic use.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 400mm or wider holds one plant for years, and container growing keeps it under a metre.

Growing Harland Boxwood in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with part shade worth choosing in hot inland gardens where all day sun bronzes the foliage. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy once established.

Soil. Well drained soil with organic matter through it. Box will not tolerate wet roots, so on clay plant on a raised mound and improve the whole bed, not just the hole. Mulch 75mm deep.

Water and feed. Water twice weekly through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer, since a clipped hedge draws more from the soil than an unclipped shrub.

Pruning. Start clipping while plants are young to build density from the base. Trim in late spring and late summer, avoiding the hottest part of the day, since cut foliage burns. Never cut back into bare old wood, as box is slow to reshoot.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, tube stock, which currently runs on backorder, so allow time before dispatch. Tubes are young plants around 100mm to 200mm tall, and they are how most box hedges are sensibly bought: edging at 400mm centres takes many plants.

This is a slow grower, so plan on three seasons before a tube planted row reads as a finished low hedge, and start light tip pruning in the first year. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the buxus and English Box care guide.
• Learn how to create a great hedge and keep it sharp.
• Compare plants for topiary and shaping.
• Browse the best hedging plants for larger screens.

Common questions

How is it different from English Box?

Harland Box has narrower leaves and far better tolerance of heat and humidity. In subtropical and warm coastal gardens English Box often thins and bronzes, while this one holds its colour.

How far apart do I plant a low hedge?

Four hundred millimetres apart in a single row. Closer spacing wastes plants and makes the row compete for water without closing faster.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Buxus foliage is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, causing vomiting and stomach upset. Rake up clippings, since dropped foliage after a trim is the usual way a pet gets into it.