Buxus trees are often grown to be pruned, trimmed, and trained into desired shapes and sizes as a horticultural practice for architecture and beauty.
This doesn’t mean that trimming it should be done by any layman without caution. You should take note of the right period or season to trim a Buxus and the right way to trim it without damaging your plant.
When is the right time to trim a Buxus?
Buxus sempervirens
Generally, you should trim a Buxus plant in its dormant season which is late winter or early spring before new growth starts to emerge. Buxus should not be pruned in the late fall because new leaves that emerge after that pruning are not likely to survive through winter.
When to trim Buxus depending on the age of your plant
When to prune Young Buxus Plants:
Trim young plants in May to encourage full and bushy growth. Afterwards, trimming can be done anytime between May and August for training.
When to prune Mature Buxus plants:
These can be trimmed in August when growth has slowed to keep it neat for winter. Summer trimming will lead to fresh growth that will leave the plant vulnerable to frostbite and other diseases.
When to prune Old Buxus plants:
These can take hard pruning and it is best done in late spring.
BUXUS GUIDES & Further Reading
- Buxus Grow Guide – Learn how to get the best from your Buxus
- How to make your buxus grow faster
- How to save a dying Buxus & common problems
- When is best to prune or trim your buxus
- How far apart should buxus be planted
Buxus can be grown into many shapes such as balls, pyramids, spirals, lollipop, or just hedges and topiary. Other plants could be used such as spiral bay trees, ilex crenata, taxus baccata or yew for yew balls or twisted yew trees
