Franklin's Gem Boxwood
Buxus microphylla 'Franklin's Gem'
Height: 3 feet
Spread: 4 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Other Names: Littleleaf Box, Japanese Boxwood
Description:
This slow growing, broadly rounded shrub is great for smaller areas; green foliage turns a rich olive in the late fall and winter; an extremely versatile shrub that's considered the hardiest of boxwoods; takes pruning exceptionally well
Ornamental Features
Franklin's Gem Boxwood is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has rich green evergreen foliage. The small glossy oval leaves turn olive green in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.
Landscape Attributes
Franklin's Gem Boxwood is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. 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. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Franklin's Gem Boxwood is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Franklin's Gem Boxwood will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. You may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. 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. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Franklin's Gem Boxwood makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. 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.
