Box
Buxus sempervirens
Also called Boxwood and Common box
Garden plant · ShrubsClip in dry weather and never in full sun. Box blight travels on wet leaves and on the blades you just used.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Once a weekWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Sun to part shade
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a very cold winter RHS H6, to -20°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 1 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- Western and southern Europe
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: dogs and cats: vomiting and diarrhoea. Horses: colic, diarrhoea, breathing failure and seizures.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA on 2026-08-03.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.