BUXUS 



BUXUS 



197 



some species, grow in the warmer temperate regions 

 only. B. fiempervirens stands pruning very well, and 

 m the old formal gardens of Europe was formerly much 

 listed for ht'dgos. and sometimes trimmed into the most 

 fantasti<-;il shap.-s ; The d\v:irf variety is still often 

 pliintcd for iK.rdcrini,' H<.wrr ln-.is. Tlie very hard and 

 ciuse-graiiied wood is iu great demand for engraving 

 and finer turnery work. The Box Tree thrives in almost 

 any well-drained soil, and best in a partially shaded 

 position. Prop, by cuttings from mature wood early in 





292. Buxus sempervirens. ^ 



fall, kept during the winter in the cool greenhouse or 

 under haudlights in the open ; in more temperate re- 

 gions they may be inserted in a shady place in the open 

 air ; 4-6 in. i^ the best size for outdoor cuttings. Layers 

 will also make good plants. The dwarf variety is usu- 

 ally propagated by division. In plantiug borders, it is 

 essential to insert the divided plants deeply and as firmly 

 as possible, and to give plenty of water the first time. 



Seeds are sown soon after maturity, tout it takes a long 

 time To raise plants of good size from them. 



semp6rvirenB, Linn. Common Box Tree. Pig. 292. 

 Shrub or small tree, to 25 ft.: branches quadrangular, 

 sparingly pubescent : Ivs. oval-oblong or oval, rarely 

 roundish oval or lanceolate, usually obtuse, %-lM in. 

 long : fls. in axillary clusters ; stamlnate fls. sessile, 

 with a gland half as long as the calyx in the center. S. 

 Eur., N. Afr., Orient, China. Very variable in size, 

 color and shape of the Ivs. ; some of the most cultivated 

 forms are the following : Var. angrustlfdlia, Loud. (var. 

 longifdlia, Hort. ; var. salicifdU<f , Hort.). Lvs. narrow, 

 oblong-lanceolate, usually shrulibv. Var. arbor^scens, 

 Linn Tall shnib or small tree : lvs. usually oval. Var. 

 arg^nteo-marginita, Hurt. Lvs. edi,-ed white. Var. 

 aurea, Hort. Lvs. yellow. Var. aureo-marginata, Hort, 

 Lvs. edged yellow. Var. suffruticbsa, Linn. (var. ndna, 

 Hort). Dwarf ; lvs. small, oval or obovate : flowering 

 clusters usually only terminal. 



Japbnica, Muell. Arg. {B. ohcorddta, Hort. B. F6r- 

 tunei, Hort-). Shrub, 6 ft.: lvs. cuneate, obovate or 

 roundish obovate, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, 

 J^-IM in. long, with u.sually pube.scent petioles ; clus- 

 ters axillary ; starainate fls. sessile, with a central gland 

 as long as the calj^s. China, Japan. — Nearly as hardy as 

 the former. There are also some variegated forms. 



microphylla, Sieb. & Zucc. (B. Jnpduica, var. micro- 

 phi/U<i. Muell. Arg.). Dwarf, often prostrate shrub, 

 (juiti- ;,Malirnus : lvs. obovate or obovate-lanceolate. %-l 

 iu. long : clusters mostly terminal ; staminate fls. ses- 

 sile, with a central gland, like the former. Japan. 



Balearica, Willd. Shrub, 6-15 ft.: lvs- elliptic or 

 oblong, acute or obtuse at the apex. 1-2 in. long, light 

 green : clusters axillary ; staminate fls. pedicelled. S. 

 Spain, Balear. — Handsome shrub, but less hardy than 

 the former. 



B. Califtirnica, Lk. = Simmondsia CaUfomica.— ^. Fortunei. 

 Hort. = B. Japoniea.— -B. Hdrlandi, Haiice. Branches pubes- 

 cent : lvs. narrow obovate, emarginate, %-l}4 in- long. China. 

 — B. loiisiifdlia, Boiss. Lvs. narrow-elliptic or lanceolate, 1-1/4 

 in. long. Orient, China.— B, longifdlia, Hort. ^ B. sempervi- 

 rens, var. angustifolia.— B, Wallichidna, Baill, Branches pu- 

 bescent : lvs. linear-elliptic, 1-2K in. long. Himalayas. 



Alfred Rehder. 



