Love Buxus? But ready to try something new?
Check out these fresh alternatives for small hedging plants.
With small, green leaves, dense growth and suitable for pruning and shaping, Buxus sempervirens [English Box], Buxus microphylla japonica [Japanese Box] and Buxus microphylla microphylla [Korean Box] are classic additions to formal and cottage gardens, used for centuries for small evergreen hedges and topiary.
Looking for a change? Fortunately there are many plants that can achieve the same effect! Top fresh, native alternatives to Buxus include our Native Rosemary, Dwarf Callistemon varieties and Correa Alba for coastal landscapes. Excellent exotic alternative small hedging plants include Hebes, Ligustrums or Dwarf Pittosporums to mention just a few. And the choices don't stop there! Consider a flowering or aromatic hedge or topiary for something unexpected and unique.
What ever your preference, we have plenty of choice available at Plantmark. Visit one of our Trade markets to find the perfect alternative plant for your next landscape project today.
SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE BUXUS ALTERNATIVES:
Miss Muffet Dwarf Japanese Pittosporum
Pittosporum tobira Miss Muffet
Miss Muffet is a small, compact shrub with glossy, evergreen leaves giving it an exotic, lush look. A popular choice for low hedges and borders in Japanese and tropical style gardens. Fragrant, white flowers appear in spring.
Grows to approx. 1m H x 1.5m W.
Golf Ball Dwarf Pittosporum
Pittosporum tenuifolium Golf Ball
With a dense, multi-stemmed shape and compact form, Golf Ball is low maintenance and requires very little pruning to stay round. Ideal for small, formal borders, topiary and planters, Golf Ball has small, glossy, bright green leaves.
Grows to approx. 80cm H x W.
Deep Purple Native Rosemary
Westringia hybrida Deep Purple
Westringia is one of our top native alternatives to Buxus. Terrific as a low hedge and can be clipped to topiary balls, it suits modern, cottage and formal gardens. Deep Purple has lush, green foliage and small, purple flowers in a deep, more intense colour than other varieties.
Grows to approx. 60cm-1m H x W
Jervis Gem Native Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa Jervis Gem
A compact form of Westringia Wynyabbie Gem, Jervis Gem has silver grey foliage and small flowers in pale lilac. Can easily be trimmed to shape to create topiary or use as a low hedge in native or coastal gardens. Tough and low maintenance native. Drought & coastal tolerant.
Grows to approx. 60cm-1m H x W.
Dwarf Pink Escallonia
Escallonia hybrida Pink Pixie
Great for attracting butterflies & bees to the garden, Pink Pixie is a dwarf Escallonia with clusters of dark pink flowers contrasting against the small, glossy green leaves. Excellent choice for low, neat flowering hedges and coastal gardens. Hardy and tolerant of coastal conditions.
Grows to approx. 60cm H x 50cm W.
Tuscan Blue Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis Tuscan Blue
Ideal for an aromatic, formal hedge or used as topiary, Tuscan Blue has needle like foliage and pretty blue flowers. Doubles as a cooking ingredient and attracts bees & butterflies. Often used in Mediterranean style gardens and courtyards.
Grows to approx. 1.2m H x W.
Box Leaf Hebe
Hebe buxifolia
A tough performer, tolerating frost, drought and salt spray, Hebe buxifolia is an ideal, evergreen shrub for low borders and informal, flowering hedges. With masses of white flowers in summer and dark green, glossy foliage, Box Leaf Hebe will look great in most settings. The dark green leaves are arranged symmetrically along the branches, while the flowers adorn the top of the branch stems. Also grows well in pots and containers.
Grows to approx. 60cm-1m H x W.
Snow Maiden Indian Hawthorn
Rhaphiolepis indica Snow Maiden
With eye-catching, fragrant flowers and evergreen shiny foliage Rhaphiolepis is a beautiful, hard working dwarf evergreen shrub that looks great mass planted as low, compact, formal or informal hedge. Snow Maiden is a popular variety with fragrant flowers in winter and spring. Great for pots and planters.
Grows to approx. 60cm-1m H x 50cm W.
Oriental Pearl Indian Hawthorn
Rhaphiolepis indica Oriental Pearl
Oriental Pearl is a real stunner! With exotic white flowers contrasting against dark green foliage it looks amazing mass planted as a low, flowering hedge. With a naturally rounded habit, it's well suited for planters too. Tolerates heat, frost and salt spray and is ideal for formal and coastal gardens
Grows to approx. 60cm-1m H x W.
Purple Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea Rose Glow
A great option for a low hedge or border with a pop of colour. Purple Japanese Barberry is a hardy, deciduous ornamental shrub with attractive deep rose-red foliage, mottled with pink & white. In spring tiny, yellow flowers appear, followed by red berries in autumn that often remain during winter, providing interest.
Grows to approx. 1-2m H x W.
Euonymus Tom Thumb
Euonymus japonicus microphyllus Tom Thumb
Similar to Buxus in looks, Euonymus Tom Thumb has lush emerald green, glossy leaves making it perfect for a compact, low hedge. Quicker growing than Buxus, it's long lived and a great choice for coastal gardens. Tough, hardy and low maintenance. Also check out Box Leaf Euonymus and Green Rocket Euonymus
Grows to approx. 30-60cm H x W.
Allyn Magic Dwarf Lilly Pilly
Acmena smithii Allyn Magic syn. Syzygium smithii
Acmena Allyn Magic is a compact native shrub with eye-catching, bronze new growth and mature glossy green-brown leaves. A perfect low native hedge, growing to approx. 80cm in height. Long lived and resistant to pests and diseases.
Grows to approx. 80cm H x W x 30-60cm W.
Better John Weeping Bottlebrush
Callistemon viminalis Better John
Callistemon Better John creates an eye-catching low hedge that looks stunning when in bloom. The bright red flowers are smallish and appear in spring, contrasting against the blue green foliage. New growth is silvery with a soft, hairy texture.
Grows to approx. 60cm-1.2m H x 60-90cm W.
White Correa
Correa Alba
Increasingly popular as a native alternative to Buxus, White Correa is a rounded evergreen shrub with attractive grey-green foliage and small, star-shaped white flowers in winter and spring. Easily clipped into topiary and spheres, it's a perfect addition to modern native gardens as well as coastal and formal gardens. Plant in clusters, or as a backdrop to other greenery. Salt, drought and wind tolerant with low water requirement.
Grows to approx. 1-1.5m H x W.
What did you think of our list of top alternatives to Buxus? Got any questions? Let us know in the comment section below.
View availability, pot sizes and pricing online at your preferred Plantmark Trade Market. Registered Trade Customers Only. Sign up online at www.plantmark.com.au
Plantmark has 7 convenoient locations:
MELB > Langwarrin Wantirna Thomastown Werribee
SYD > Vineyard
BRIS > Willawong
GOLD COAST > Carrara