Buxus
The classic New Zealand hedging and topiary plant, valued for its dense, small evergreen leaves and its tolerance of tight, regular clipping into formal shapes. Slow-growing, which is part of what gives it crisp hedge lines but also means a mature hedge takes patience to establish. Needs genuinely free-draining soil, as root rot is a real risk in wet or heavy ground. Typically needs clipping once or twice a year to hold its hedge or topiary shape. Box blight (a fungal disease caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is a real, well-documented and increasingly significant problem for buxus hedges in New Zealand in recent years, and is worth checking for regularly. Box tree caterpillar is not established in New Zealand, but MPI asks home gardeners to watch for and report any suspected sighting, since it is a serious exotic pest overseas.
- Sun
- partial sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 40cm
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 1.5m
- Evergreen
- Yes
- Common diseases
- Box blight (Calonectria pseudonaviculata, formerly Cylindrocladium buxicola), Root rot in poorly drained soil
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: March-April and September-October. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-October.
Growing stages
Planting & establishmentFirst few months
- Needs genuinely free-draining soil; root rot is a real risk in wet or heavy ground
- Full sun to light shade suits it; water while roots establish
- Space plants around 40cm apart for a dense, solid hedge line
Early growthFirst 1-2 years
- Slow-growing by nature, so establishing a mature hedge takes patience
- Watch for early signs of box blight, a fungal disease that has become a growing problem for NZ hedges
- Box tree caterpillar is an exotic pest not currently established in New Zealand; report any suspected sighting to MPI
Maturity
- Clip once or twice a year to hold a crisp hedge or topiary shape
- Continue monitoring for box blight each season, as it is now a well-established, ongoing risk for NZ buxus
- Confirm drainage remains good long-term; even established plants can develop root rot in poorly drained soil