Japanese Boxwood Plant Care

Japanese Boxwood (Buxus microphylla) belongs to the Buxaceae family within the Buxus genus. Japanese Boxwood is native to Japan and Taiwan. Japanese Boxwood is also known as Littleleaf Boxwood, Boxwood.

Japanese Boxwood displays a slow-growing compact shrub growth habit, reaching up to 4 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Japanese Boxwood produces small, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 1.5 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Japanese Boxwood every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Japanese Boxwood thrives in part shade to full sun.

Buxus microphylla tolerates temperatures of 20–100°F. Japanese Boxwood prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with good organic matter content. Good drainage is essential for Japanese Boxwood to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Japanese Boxwood every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with part shade to full sun and well-draining loamy soil with good organic matter content. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Japanese Boxwood is suited to USDA Zone 5a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Japanese Boxwood can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 4 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Japanese Boxwood while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Japanese Boxwood is hardy down to USDA zone 5a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Japanese Boxwood can be propagated through stem cuttings, layering, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to boxwood plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Japanese Boxwood is susceptible to boxwood leafminer, boxwood mite, boxwood psyllid. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Japanese Boxwood grows outdoors in USDA Zone 5a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 5a. Japanese Boxwood is native to Japan and Taiwan.