Nitrogen deficiencies seem to be the most common among winter gem boxwood plants in the home landscape. The appearance of the plant itself is also somewhat tell-tale (does it look happy and healthy?). The best time to prune is in late winter or early spring. Observe your plants on a regular basis and keep note of any changes. Deer and drought tolerant. Winter gem boxwood retains its lovely emerald green throughout winter with minimum bronzing, bouncing back to a rich green colour as the snow melts. Dark green oval-shaped leaves with compact growth habit, 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide, makes this variety excellent for a small hedge. Design Ideas: This small rounded boxwood can be treated as a topiary form to create perfect spheres in the garden. Evergreen. Excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges. I have never seen damage on the boxwood cultivar “Winter Gem”. If you love the evergreen Southern Living™ look for your yard, but don’t want something as tall as a tree or large bush, you won’t find a lovelier, more fitting, option than this fine-looking Baby Gem Boxwood. Excessive mulch may encourage vole activity and production of adventitious roots in the mulch layer which are very prone to desiccation (drying) damage. The 1 Gal. For formal hedges, you will need to prune this evergreen shrub to maintain that neat and tidy look. Winter gem boxwood can also be kept trimmed to a smaller size between 1.5′-3′ if desired. Winter Gem Boxwood for Sale Online. In USDA Zone 5, this boxwood is best sited in a sheltered location which protects it in winter from strong … In temperate areas with favourable environmental conditions, winter gem can become larger, such as 4′ wide by 4′ tall. insularis, var. Moderate growing 4 to 6 ft. tall and wide. Winter gem boxwood can also be kept trimmed to a smaller size between 1.5′-3′ if desired. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant. Very nice bright green during the warmer seasons. Compacted soil is lethal for boxwood; it must have good internal soil drainage. A well-placed drip irrigation line and a covering of organic mulch can help keep soil moisture balanced and consistent over time. How fast do boxwood grow? This yellowing is called “bronzing”, and is quite common with boxwood. The leaves are small ovals and make an excellent addition to floral arrangements throughout the year. Thin plants and remove dead/damaged branches annually to improve air circulation. Wondering when to fertilize blueberries? This little evergreen boxwood is a hard one to come by, and yet one of the hardiest we have found. 'Winter Gem’ Boxwood is noted too retain good green foliage in mild winters turning a golden bonze if winters are harsh. For a healthy and flourishing shrub, follow basic care guidelines for evergreen shrubs grown for their year-round foliage. As a low hedge or shrubby border around an area or structure; For edge definition in formal English gardens and. Its foliage tends to be fuller when grown in sunnier areas, provided the soil is kept moist. Wedding Ring (B. microphylla var. The dark foliage keeps its color through summer and winter, uses modest water, and likes full to part sun. japonica 'Gregem' PP21159, is the ideal shrub for a small space. Like other boxwood types, these are broad-leaved evergreen shrubs with small, somewhat-glossy leaves. If you plan to keep them pruned to the 2 to 3 foot width range, then spacing on 2.5 foot centers will work for a continuous hedge. Over the last few years, Home for the Harvest has grown into a popular home & garden site with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It's a fast grower and is tolerant to boxwood blight. You have a choice when deciding how far apart to space Winter Gem Boxwood. That way you have less gardening work, and a … If they fall off earlier, this may be a symptom of nitrogen deficiency.”. Full to partial sun. The small glossy oval leaves remain green throughout the winter. Winter gem, also ‘Asiatic Winter Gem’, has been used in landscaping in North America since at least the 1980’s (visit the International Registration List of Cultivated Buxus, The American Boxwood Society). Therefore, to have a colorful garden may not be the easiest of things, but certainly, it is not an impossibility either. Winter Gem is a Japanese Boxwood. Additional lighter prunings may be necessary in early to mid-summer, depending on the desired look and vigor of the plant. ‘Winter Gem’ tolerates more radical pruning if the plant has outgrown its desired size. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It is very similar to ‘Winter Gem’ and ‘Faulkner’. Use hand pruners or shears. Among the hardiest of Boxwoods, the rich green foliage acquires a golden bronze hue through winter, returning to green in spring. ‘Wintergreen’ stays green through the winter, and is a fantastic choice for gardeners who cannot stomach another winter of pumpkin orange boxwood. Boxwood leaves will normally stay on the plant for three years. The foliage retains its rich color most of the year, becoming bronze-tinged in cold winter weather. (The boxwoods used are Buxus ‘Faulkner’). The leaves of this boxwood are petite and smooth. Winter Gem Boxwood is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. It has no significant negative characteristics. ©2020 Connon Nurseries. Particularly small nursery plants can be spaced 1′ apart with proper care and attention. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Winter gem boxwood foundation and hedge shrub is ideal as a hedge plant, and shearing into shapes for formal gardens The Wintergem Boxwood (buxus microphyllia) has dark green oval-shaped leaves with compact growth habit, 3 to 4 foot high with 2 to 3 feet width. Among the hardiest of Boxwoods, the rich green foliage acquires a golden bronze hue through winter, returning to green in spring. Here are some common uses for winter gem boxwood in the landscape: Winter gem boxwood shrubs are best planted in early spring or early fall. “Boxwood requires only light applications of mulch. Asiatic boxwoods tend to have finer leaves and more of a dwarf form when compared to common boxwood. Space your Winter Gem Boxwood plants approximately 4 feet apart. Winter Gem (Buxus microphylla japonica 'Winter Gem') This boxwood makes a nice hedge and takes shearing well. It is great for use in medium-sized hedges and is very tolerant of pruning or shearing. Mary Jane is a home gardener who loves creating healthy, welcoming spaces (indoors and out!) However, if you want to have a dense hedge, you'll want to plant them 18 - 24 inches apart on center. I'm MJ. When planted in a row to create a low hedge, winter gem boxwood is generally spaced 2′ apart, measured from the centre of one plant’s trunk to the centre of the next plant’s trunk. koreana) has glossy foliage that grows no higher or wider than about 3 feet. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Whatever the shape or size, there’s likely a boxwood out there for you. Plan for a potential size of about 3′ wide by 3′ tall for a winter gem boxwood shrub. Best grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Here are some nitrogen-rich natural fertilizers (nitrogen is the first number in the 3-digit NPK fertilizer ratio): “The earliest symptom of nitrogen deficiency is yellowing of lower leaves. This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. ‘Winter Gem’ is a cultivar of littleleaf boxwood that is particularly hardy to cold-weather conditions. Do not apply more than one inch of mulch over the root zone and keep it clear of the main stem. Here are some of the ways that “Winter Gem” can be labelled: “The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening (Huxley, 1992), lists three botanical varieties of Buxus microphylla, namely var. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. The foliage does yellow to some extent in cold winters, particularly on young or newly-installed plants. sinica. Winter gem boxwood is a versatile landscaping shrub used to provide year-round foliage interest and structure to the garden. Since it’s evergreen, this shrub will always stand out in the winter months. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years. The foliage of winter gem boxwood is a lovely dark green colour for most of the year. Winter gem boxwood is commonly used for landscaping in climates where the winters are too harsh for other types of boxwood to thrive (“Hardy to USDA Zone 4” – Oregon State University). The small glossy oval leaves remain green throughout the winter. Introduced in 1960, Buxus ‘Wintergreen’ is a slow grower, it is true, but eventually reaches 4′-5′ feet tall/wide after 10-15 years. A type of littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla), native to eastern Asia, the cultivated variety (cultivar) 'Winter Gem' has a muddy, confusing history and origin. Avoid cultivating around plants because they have shallow roots. Winter Gem Boxwood will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. Click around and read a few articles. Winter Gem Japanese Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with small, glossy, rich-green leaves. Winter Gem Boxwood makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. You'll want to use color around the Boxwood Winter Gem for contrast … It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Outgoing links in this post may be affiliate links in which this site receives a portion of sales at no extra cost. New blueberry bushes can be planted in pre-fertilized soil,... 32 Camping Gifts Perfect For Outdoorsy Friends Or Nature-Loving Family Members. koreana or var. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Native to Japan, this Gem Boxwood is great for filling in small spaces, planting in mass, or growing as a hedge and clipped topiary shapes. - About Mary Jane (https://www.homefortheharvest.com/authors/about-mary-jane-duford/), When To Fertilize Blueberries: Seasonal Plant Food Timing For Blueberry Bushes. I've built a handful of gardens over the last few years and have totally fallen in love with gardening. Even golden-bronzed plants of this variety tend to become a rich green again by the end of spring (see photo sequence at the end of this article). Winter gem boxwood can be grown in full sun conditions to partial shade conditions. Boxwood are low-maintenance shrubs and may not require any fertilizer application in the landscape, particularly if they are mulched with a nitrogen-rich organic mulch such as homemade compost. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. Tolerant of pruning and shearing. This is the evergreen boxwood shrub that keeps its color over the winter months. This site also participates in affiliate programs with other sites and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. There is nothing like being out in the garden. It grows naturally into a mound up to 5 feet tall and 3 or 4 feet across, but it is easily clipped and is mostly seen in gardens as a clipped hedge. Average Size at Maturity: Slow growing to 3 to 4 feet tall and as wide. Roots appreciate a good mulch (1-2 \"). You don't have to worry about prickly needles with this stunning shrub! We recently purchased a bunch of Winter Gem boxwood shrubs (the variety that you have planted at your lovely home), and we are now ready to start planting our boxwood hedge. Their roots require access to air pockets in the soil just as much as they require access to moisture. Welcome! This hybrid boxwood can reach a width of 4 feet (1.2 m) in maturity. Pests include leafminers, psyllids, and boxwood mites. Next, boxwoods like cool roots so mulch with 2″ of leaf compost/mulch. Evergreen. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Welcome! Boxwood Baby Gem, Live Shrub Plant, Glossy Green Foliage Boxwood Baby Gem is a very compact boxwood Boxwood Baby Gem is a very compact boxwood reaching a maintainable size of 4 ft. H x 4-5 ft. W. Its small compact tendencies make it ideal for smaller gardens, borders, and small hedges. In temperate areas with favourable environmental conditions, winter gem can become larger, such as 4′ wide by 4′ tall. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. Though "Winter Gem" is tolerant of alkaline soils, boxwoods do best in a well-draining, moist soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.2. Overall, boxwood has a very slow growth rate that’s typically 6 inches or less per year. How far apart do you plant Winter Gem Boxwoods? Plan for a potential size of about 3′ wide by 3′ tall for a winter gem boxwood shrub. This plant is perfect for small gardens and focal points with its small stature and delicate leaves. The Baby Gem Boxwood grows naturally into a rounded shrub about 4 feet tall, and the same or a little more across. It will have a rather uniform yellowing, that is more pronounced on the older leaves inside the plant. Boxwood plants grow best in moist soil, but do not tolerate wet/muddy soil. Green Velvet and Winter Gem Boxwoods are two of the most popular smaller sized evergreens sold in our area. All Rights Reserved. link to When To Fertilize Blueberries: Seasonal Plant Food Timing For Blueberry Bushes, link to 32 Camping Gifts Perfect For Outdoorsy Friends Or Nature-Loving Family Members, International Registration List of Cultivated Buxus, Boxwood: Preventing and Managing Common Pests and Diseases, Corn Gluten Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer (8-0-0), Espoma Plant-Tone Organic Plant Food (5-3-3), Photographic Guide of Boxwood Pests & Diseases on Long Island. Baby Gem™ Boxwood, Buxus microphylla var. insularis.”. 2 Gal. Size: 4 to 6 feet tall and wide Green Mound is hybrid with a natural rounded shape for your large containers. Additional lighter prunings may be necessary in early to mid-summer, depending on the desired look and vigor of the plant. Boxwood is so named because its very hard wood was valued in ancient times for making of boxes and small containers. B. microphylla ‘Winter Gem’ is described as moderately tolerant to boxwood blight (see report from Oregon State University). Winter Gem Boxwood has green foliage. Prefers sun-dappled part shade and moist, sandy loams with a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH. Winter gem boxwoods are a relatively disease resistant cultivar. Do not cultivate deeply near boxwoods or their shallow roots will be damaged.”. The dark Foliage keeps its color through summer and winter. The best time to fertilize established blueberry bushes is in the early spring or early fall. This boxwood is covered with lush, light green foliage that darkens as it ages. Winter Gem Boxwood is one of the best boxwood options available for its low-maintenance and hardy nature. Be the first to review this product. In winters, nature follows hibernation and dormancy. I rarely plant “Green Velvet” anymore, which is the cultivar I have at home.”. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. So, lets take a look at the growth rate of different boxwood varieties to find the right one for you. Winter Gem Boxwood is one of the ideal choices to add a dash of green to the prolonged yellow of the winter… It is not particular as to soil type or pH. koreana are now sometimes listed under Buxus microphylla var. Winter gem boxwood is not a patented cultivar, and is labelled with several different latin names by plant nurseries. Excellent evergreen shrub for small hedges. The Winter Gem Boxwood makes a lovely hedge. Baby Gem™ Boxwood has green foliage which emerges chartreuse in spring. Spacing 18″ apart will lead to a thicker hedge more quickly, while spacing 3′ apart is more suited to free-form hedges (rather than formal sheared rows). koreana (Korean Littleleaf Boxwood) and var. Re-measure plant spacing prior to mulching to ensure that none of the plants have shifted and settled in their planting hole. Deer resistant. Award-winning Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' (Small-Leaved Boxwood) is a dense, compact, evergreen shrub with a lush foliage of small, rounded, dark bluish green, glossy leaves. Korean Boxwood ‘Wintergreen’ is aptly named. The products I use - https://kit.com/HortTubeThis video is a detailed description of Winter Gem Boxwoods. A soil test done by a laboratory can help to advise on fertilizer specifics. Other Names: Littleleaf Boxwood; Japanese Boxwood, This compact boxwood is great for smaller areas; foliage bronzes in winter adding seasonal interest; an extremely versatile shrub that's ideal for small and formal hedges or topiary, takes pruning exceptionally well. Winter gem is grown in part for its ability to both resist and recover from bronzing. This evergreen shrub is also deer resistant, drought-tolerant, and easy to maintain. 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