japanese holly vs boxwood

Japanese holly leaves have little teeth along their edges, while boxwood leaves are smooth (Japanese holly's scientific plant name, Crenata, is Latin for "toothed"). Japanese holly leaves grow in an alternating pattern along the branches; boxwood leaves are aligned in pairs.

What is a good replacement for boxwoods?

Two species that have the greatest potential to be suitable boxwood substitutes are Ilex crenata, Japanese holly and Ilex glabra, inkberry holly. Both have small, broad, evergreen leaves and dense branching that responds well to being sheared into hedges, globes, and spires.

Is Japanese holly fast growing?

Growing Compact Japanese Holly Bushes

It will rapidly grow into a rounded form that will soon reach 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide, growing eventually to as much as 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide. ... The great advantage of the Compact Japanese Holly compared to boxwood shrubs is the rapid rate of growth.

How big do Japanese hollies get?

Japanese Holly is a handsome evergreen shrub in the Aquifoliaceae family. The shrub is dense, rigid, compact, and grows up to 12' tall. You will find this plant often used to make topiaries and its showy red fruits provide much-needed winter interest in the landscape.

Is a boxwood a holly?

Both holly and boxwood flowers are tiny. Boxwood, which has both male and female flowers on the same plant, has chartreuse, star-shaped flowers but does not produce berries. ... Hollies have tiny white flowers and need a separate male and female plant for berries to occur on the female plant.

What is the lifespan of a boxwood?

Common Boxwood Lifespan: 20-30 Years.

What is the best boxwood for a hedge?

If you want a small, compact, low-growing shrub to form a hedge that serves as an accent or border along your walkway, fence line or planting beds, dwarf boxwood varieties are the best pick. The "Dwarf English" boxwood (Buxus sempervirens “Suffruticosa”) creates a border hedge approximately 1 to 2 feet in height.

Does Japanese holly stay green all year?

Hetz's Japanese holly is an evergreen shrub, but it is a broadleaved, rather than a needled, evergreen. Its glossy, delicate leaves can make it a great choice if you are in the market for a bush with dense foliage that stays green year-round. Hetz's Japanese holly is commonly confused with boxwood.

What is the fastest growing bush for privacy?

English laurel (or Cherry Laurel) can make an enormous fast-growing hedge. Under the right conditions, it can grow up to 3 feet per year! It does very well in heat. It has glossy evergreen foliage and makes a very attractive large hedge with regular pruning 1-2 times per year.

Is Japanese holly invasive?

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that doesn't call attention to itself. ... In contrast to English holly – a bold plant with large, sharply-pointed leaves – Ilex crenata is slow-growing, fine-textured, and not at all invasive.

Why are boxwoods so expensive?

A few shaped boxwoods can provide the base for a statue or fountain. ... Two downsides hurt boxwoods' appeal: They are slow growers, which makes them expensive in nurseries because of the cost of carrying them for several years until they are big enough to sell.

Is Japanese holly poisonous?

Poisoning Symptoms: Gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain) depression, drooling, caffeine like stimulatory effects. Leaves and berries are low toxicity.

Do Japanese holly lose their leaves?

Once an evergreen like a Japanese holly drops its leaves, the root system is already dead. Lack of water is the No. 1 reason for this - especially for a new transplant planted in summer. Sometimes transplant shock will cause a new holly to drop leaves dramatically soon after planting.

Do boxwoods smell like urine?

Some people are reporting that their boxwood has a bad odor. More specifically, people complain about boxwood bushes that smell like cat urine. The English boxwood seems to be the main culprit. To be fair, the odor has also been described as resinous, and a resinous scent certainly isn't a bad thing.

What is the difference between Japanese boxwood and wintergreen boxwood?

Height and Spread

Height is a significant gap between the Japanese boxwood and Korean boxwood variety “Wintergreen.” The Japanese boxwood, based on the variety, will grow from 3 to 12 feet tall when left alone, while the shorter, dense “Wintergreen” boxwood will grow 2 to 4 feet tall.

Is Privet the same as boxwood?

Privet grows more quickly and can be shaped more easily than can boxwood shrubs, for instance. The dense foliage is not evergreen in many climates, making it best suited for summertime-only privacy hedges.

What is the best time to plant boxwoods?

You can plant boxwood in fall, late winter or early spring. Fall often is best for planting to give the roots time to take hold before winter cold sets in. But as long as you avoid planting during the heat of summer or cold of winter, your boxwood should do fine in fall or spring.

Do boxwoods need sun or shade?

They prefer well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. Mulchwith an inch or so of chopped leaves to help keep soil cool (but don't heap mulch against the stems). Once established, boxwood shrubs are very drought-tolerant. Most cultivars will grow in full sun to a half day of shade.

What is the most hardy boxwood?

insularis are considered the hardiest of all boxwood. Buxus semper. virens, common box, is hardy to zone 6 (Krussmann 1984) and has a greater stature than the preceding species. The large, dark green leaves remain evergreen all year.

Do boxwoods stay green all year?

A. Many varieties of boxwood retain their green color during the winter months; others will turn off-color. ... Some boxwoods that are prized for retaining their green color throughout most winters are 'Wintergreen', 'Green Velvet', 'Green Mountain', and 'Glencoe'.

Can you keep a boxwood small?

Miniature boxwoods generally grow wider than their height. Boxwoods such as Buxus microphylla japonica can be kept to 6 inches tall, although this boxwood grows 4 to 6 feet tall when left unclipped. Use the narrower spacing for a 6-inch-high hedge and the wider spacing for 2-foot-tall hedges.

Do boxwoods stay small?

Using Boxwood Shrubs as a Walkway edging shrub:

Most smaller varieties can be kept as small as one foot to 2 feet wide.