Where box tree moths and box tree diebacks rage, they leave behind a picture of misery. With good reason, hobby gardeners are on the lookout for suitable replacement plants. Explore recommended alternative plants to boxwood in this hand-picked selection. Get to know the top 5 decorative alternative solutions here. Non-poisonous variants for the family garden and magnificent options in flower robes invite you to browse.

Japanese holly most closely resembles boxwood

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. top 5
  3. Non-toxic alternative
  4. Flowering replacement plants
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • The Japanese holly looks very similar to the boxwood, but unfortunately it is poisonous.
    • The non-toxic shrubs ball hawthorn, dwarf dogwood, Deutzia or dwarf sea buckthorn are ideal for family gardens.
    • Flowering shrubs such as the small-leaved rhododendron, the dwarf privet or the cushion barberry are also possible alternatives to boxwood.

    Top 5 boxwood alternatives

    The bar is set high for authentic boxwood substitutes. Evergreen foliage, compact growth and pronounced pruning tolerance are important criteria so that a deciduous tree can worthy represent the classic in beds and tubs. The following table names the top 5 boxwood alternatives by name with information on the advantages and disadvantages:

    trade name botanical name suitable for/as not suitable for/as benefits disadvantage
    Japanese holly Ilex crenata bezel, sphere Rock garden, gravel bed, dry south side tolerates pruning, hardy toxic, fastidious
    Spindle shrub 'Green Rocket' Euonymus japonicus bed edging, bucket Ball, privacy hedge tolerates pruning, hardy poisonous, topiary useless
    Dwarf Yew 'Renkes Kleiner Grüner' Taxus baccata Edging, topiary, ball Privacy screen, rock garden, dry or acidic soil only pruning conifer, robust, easy to care for very poisonus
    Honeysuckle 'May Green' Lonicera nitida edging, tub Sphere, Sculpture, Privacy Screen location tolerant, pruning compatible hungry for light, tends to bare, poisonous
    Native holly 'Heckenzwerg' Ilex aquifolium Bed border, grave, bucket Molded wood, bucket, privacy screen cut-resistant, no thorns, only for sunny locations
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    Explanations of the alternative plants

    The Japanese holly looks confusingly like boxwood. The short premium variety 'Convexa' is very popular for edging beds and landscaping graves. Field tests have shown that Ilex crenata is very sensitive to too high a pH value. In calcareous soil with more than 6.0 to 6.5 there is a risk of leaf loss. These concerns do not exist with the native holly 'Heckenzwerg'.

    If you choose the 'Green Rocket' spindle shrub, avoid all site sensitivities. The dark green leaves shine all year round on the densely branched shrub and care little about local soil conditions. 'Green Rocket' is only not recommended as a substitute for boxwood for shady and waterlogged locations.

    The honeysuckle has long been known to many gardeners as an easy-care deciduous shrub for the evergreen privacy hedge. With the premium variety 'Maigrün', the plant species is happy to make itself useful as a distinctive alternative to boxwood. Since the honeysuckle thrives without a dominant central shoot, it is ideal for topiary into a ball or pyramid.

    Are you open to a conifer as a fallback for boxwood? Then the focus is on the yew as the only coniferous tree in the garden that tolerates pruning. Instead of dark green leaves, the dwarf yew boasts a picturesque needle dress. In terms of location and care, the mini conifer pulls together with Buxus.

    digression

    Pruning can save infested boxwood

    A single infestation with the box tree moth does not mean that the border, ball or hedge is doomed. Before you clear an affected boxwood tree, a step-by-step rejuvenation cut is worthwhile as a rescue attempt. The best time is in late winter when the weather is frost-free. Do not put bare boxwoods on the stick in one go. Cut back a third of the shoots by at least half. Thin out dead branches except for a short cone. Then administer a special boxwood fertilizer to support new growth. Cover the boxwood with a close-meshed net to prevent pest infestation again.

    Non-toxic alternative to boxwood

    The ball hawthorn 'Compacta' is a good, pruning-compatible alternative to boxwood

    In the family garden, special sensitivity is required when choosing plants. Poisonous alternatives to boxwood are taboo wherever children and pets romp. Unfortunately, all representatives of the top 5 are permeated with toxic ingredients. However, gardeners with families do not have to accept compromises in terms of beauty and decorative appearance. The following overview presents the 5 best non-toxic alternatives to boxwood:

    • Globe hawthorn 'Compacta' (Crataegus monogyna): densely bushy, evergreen, hardy, tolerates pruning well
    • Kelsey dwarf dogwood (Cornus stolonifera): compact, dense, frost-resistant, tolerates pruning
    • Deutzia, Mayflower shrub (Deutzia gracilis): richly branched, dense dwarf shrub, knee-high, hardy
    • Dwarf sea buckthorn 'Silverstar' (Hippophae rhamnoides): spherical, dense, silvery leaves, for sunny to shady locations

    Choosing non-toxic alternatives to boxwood is not without a willingness to compromise. The vast majority of evergreen and wintergreen woody plants rely on toxic ingredients to defend themselves against predators. Please note that there is no such thing as a completely non-toxic plant for the family garden. Eating leaves or fruits can still cause symptoms of poisoning in children due to an allergy.

    tips

    Don't be afraid to try unorthodox alternatives when choosing a border for your cottage garden. Instead of framing a vegetable bed with evergreen dwarf shrubs, it can be fragrant herbs and flowers. Reach for lavender, thyme, bobbed basil, blue cushion or cushion phlox as a substitute for boxwood. If marigolds frame the cottage garden bed, the flowers are useful as a defense against cunning pests.

    Flowering replacement plants - plan B in a flower robe

    Small-leaved rhododendron 'Bloombux' (Rhododendron micranthum) causes a sensation in the garden as an imaginative alternative to the evergreen boredom of boxwood. In June, pink osmanthus blooms above the small, pointed, lush green leaves. With an average growth height of 80 centimetres, the mini rhododendron is equally suitable for edging beds and tubs. Novice gardeners appreciate the pruning tolerance of the dwarf variety.

    Cushion barberry 'Nana' (Berberis buxifolia) inspires with hemispherical growth and orange flowers in May and June. The evergreen, thorn-armed dwarf tree forms a hedge into an impenetrable bulwark that even fends off cheeky cats. The small barberries combine their decorative advantages with a robust cut tolerance. The only fly in the ointment is an unplanned drop of leaves when there is a frost in winter.

    Third in the group of flowering alternatives to boxwood is dwarf privet 'Lodense' (Ligustrum vulgare). This picturesque deciduous tree is characterized by dark green, narrow, elliptical leaves, dense growth and white flowers in June/July. Cut-resistant and frost-hardy, the mini privet fulfills its task as a boxwood substitute with flying colors. The only downside is the evergreen foliage, which of course quickly renews itself in spring.

    The leaves of the dwarf privet 'Lodense' are similar to those of the boxwood, but its flower is much more beautiful

    frequently asked Questions

    The box tree moth completely destroyed my boxwood hedge. Where can I dispose of the cleared shrubs?

    It can be assumed that the bare bushes are still infected with eggs or larvae of the box tree moth. Pack each cleared boxwood in a plastic bag. With a trailer or in the trunk, you can transport the shrubs to the regional recycling center or a composting facility. Most acceptance points are now equipped for infected boxwood clippings in order to prevent the pests from spreading further with the help of special, lockable containers.

    If I plant holly as an alternative to boxwood, is there no chance of boxwood moth infestation?

    Although holly (Illex crenata) looks confusingly similar to boxwood, the deciduous trees are spared by the boxwood moth. This does not mean that the evergreen ornamental trees are immune to all pests. The woolly scale and budworm target most holly species and cultivars.

    Is the 'Green Rocket' spindle shrub suitable for topiary into a ball in the bucket?

    Euonymus japonicus 'Green Rocket' thrives as a columnar spindle shrub. The slender, tightly upright growth makes spherical topiary a difficult undertaking. The Japanese spindle Euonymus japonicus 'Microphyllus', which naturally grows wider, is more suitable. The box-leaved barberry 'Nana' (Berberis buxifolia), the holly 'Stokes' (Ilex crenata) and the yew (Taxus baccata) can be very well trained into balls.

    Can the dwarf yew be trained to form a low bed edging in the cottage garden? The border should not be more than calf-high.

    The dwarf yew 'Renkes Kleiner Grüner' lives up to its name. Only after more than 10 years do the conifers reach a height of 60 to 80 centimeters. By pruning the shrubs each year, you can control the height as you wish. The best time is late February/early March. An annual pruning also has the advantage that you counteract the risk of balding.

    We would like to replace our 20 meter long boxwood hedge with Ilex crenata or Lonicera nitida 'Maigrün'. We have heard that the box tree moth is already affecting Ilex. Which choice as a boxwood alternative do you advise us to make?

    This statement is new to us. So far, Ilex has proven to be largely inconspicuous for diseases and pests. So far, the box tree moth that has been introduced has only focused on Buxus. Of course, no one can rule out the possibility that the malware will reorient itself at some point. From our point of view, nothing speaks against Ilex crenata as a replacement plant, especially the varieties 'Stokes' and 'Dark Green'. Lonicera nitida is unpopular with distinctively long shoots and should be cut several times a year.

    Can I grow the 'Maigrün' honeysuckle as a border just as narrow as a boxwood hedge?

    Experience has shown that honeysuckle only works as a perfect boxwood substitute for the first 5 to 10 years. Over time, the shrubs tend to bare from below. You can avoid this dilemma by cutting the border in a trapezoidal shape. This ensures that the bed edging will have leaves from the base to the crown, even years later.

    The dwarf rhododendron 'Bloombux' is to replace a broken box tree. Is that possible in a sunny location?

    With sufficient water supply, 'Bloombux' thrives in a sunny location. Important to note for the winter time is the protection provided by a shading net against the blazing winter sun. Water regularly during the cold season as moisture continues to be lost through the evergreen leaves.

    tips

    The dwarf spherical arborvitae 'Dancia' (Thuja occidentalis) is on the rise as a veritable boxwood alternative. The new variety impresses with a spherical silhouette and a modest growth height of 60 to 80 centimeters. A reliable winter hardiness and high location tolerance characterize the successful breeding. The easy-care conifer can be used in many ways as a bed border, grave planting and in a bucket.

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Vegetable garden