Grow Wild to Know Wild
Box (Buxus sempervirens)

Flowers: April
Preferred site: Easily grown in both sun and shade.

Description:in tree form it has one or a few slightly twisted trunks with brown, cracked bark. The glossy dark evergreen leaves occur in opposite pairs on the square stems and usually have their edges rolled under. The yellowish flowers are easily missed in April, tucked away among the leaves; the clusters contain both male and female flowers, but neither has petals. The small, dry capsule has three short prongs, but only matures in a good summer in Britain.

UK distribution: as a native it occurs in Britain only in a few isolated localities on chalk in southern England, the best known of which is Box Hill in Surrey.

Habitats in the wild: native to woodlands and thickets on steep slopes on chalk, and in scrub on chalk downland.

Conservation status and threats: Box is considered to be Nationally Rare in Britain as it is widespread as an introduced plant.it is believed to be native at only some of its sites, such as the Mole Valley in Surrey. The remaining populations are generally stable, and there appear to be no clearly identified and significant threats.

Folklore/medicinal uses : there are at least 20 English place-names with the prefix Box. Box wood has had lots of uses e.g. making chessmen, rolling pins and printing blocks. Box has long been used as a plant for decorating graves and for funerals. A north-country funeral custom was to fill a basin with box sprigs and place it by the door of the house from which the coffin was taken. Mourners would each take a piece of box and throw it into the grave after the coffin had been lowered (Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey). All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the leaves and bark. Box has been used medicinally in the past, as a sedative as well as to treat rheumatism and as a homeopathic remedy (Plants for a future).

How and when to plant: plant as young container-grown plants in autumn or spring into well cultivated ground. Dig in organic matter such as garden compost if the ground is especially poor, and water newly established plants if conditions are dry.

Propagation: best propagated from semi-ripe cuttings, about 2 to 3 inches long (i.e. with firm base but soft top growth), taken in mid to late summer, and inserted into good moist soil in a semi-shade spot in the garden, or into a heated propagator. Rooting takes between 8 weeks to 8 months, depending on temperature.

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