Think Outside the Boxwood: Alternative Plants for Gardens and Landscapes

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) has been an iconic fixture in the garden for centuries. The fine-textured evergreen foliage and compact growth habit of this shrub make it an excellent choice for borders, hedges, and topiary. The boxwood is used as a bold structural element for defining beds, creating interesting lines and shapes, and establishing the evergreen framework that unifies the landscape.

Figure 1. Boxwood plantings are a staple element of many formal gardens. Pictured is a heritage garden at the Atlanta History Center. There is a wide path of tan pebbles in the middle of the garden, leading to a fountain in the center. Along the sides of the pebbled path are rounded shrubs creating a symmetrical pattern down the walkway and surrounding the fountain. Gardeners have sculpted boxwood hedges and topiaries into every shape imaginable, making the boxwood a cornerstone of tradition in the formal garden (Figure 1). With the dreaded spread of boxwood blight disease to U.S. gardens, this tradition may begin to take a turn. The disease was identified in Europe a decade ago and was observed in the Unites States by 2011. In July 2014, boxwood blight disease was confirmed in the Buckhead area of Georgia and additional samples of the disease have since been identified in other parts of the state.

The sticky spores of this fungus readily adhere to birds, animals, pruning tools, shoes, clothing, and leaf litter, and can be easily transported and introduced to new locations. All species of boxwood are susceptible to the disease, although certain cultivars of littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) and Korean boxwood (Buxus sinica) do not show symptoms of the disease as readily as the dwarf English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’). Because of this, certain plants have the potential to harbor undetected spores at the nursery and spread the disease into existing landscapes as new plantings. Once infected with the disease, there is no curative treatment. A regular rotation of preventative fungicides may reduce the chances of infection, but can be an expensive and time-consuming solution. Additionally, if the proper rotation of fungicides is not carefully followed, it can lead to the development of resistant strains of the pathogen. All of this translates to bad news for boxwoods.

To combat the spread of this disease, follow a strict regimen of sterilizing pruning equipment and be conscientious of any practices that may transport spores and leaf litter to other sites.

Dead plants should be removed and destroyed. Avoid using replacement groundcovers and shrubs from the boxwood family (Buxaceae) such as Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis) and sweetbox (Sarcococca sp.), as the disease can persist in the soil and leaf litter and infect new plantings. In addition, avoid the introduction of new (or transplanted) boxwoods into existing plantings. For detailed information and updates concerning boxwood blight disease, visit the UGA Extension publications website.

Unfortunately, until an effective solution for managing this disease is available, it might be best to “think outside the boxwood.” Below is a list of plants to consider as alternatives to boxwood, ranging from conservative lookalikes to distinctly non-traditional options. When selecting plants, choose a species that both meets the goals of the project and suits the specific site conditions.

Alternatives to boxwood

Boxwood lookalikes with a similar texture and compact form

Examples:

Dwarf Yaupon Holly (llex vomitoria) cultivars such as: ‘Schillings Dwarf’, ‘Nana’, ‘Stokes Dwarf’

Inkberry Holly (llex glabra) cultivars such as ‘Compacta’, ‘Shamrock’

Japanese Holly (llex crenata) cultivars such as ‘Hoogendorn’, ‘Helleri’, ‘Convexa’, ‘Hetzii’

Little-leaved viburnum (Viburnum obovatum)

Dwarf loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) cultivars such as ‘Purple Pixie’, ‘Purple Diamond’

Dwarf evergreen azaleas (Rhododendron sp.)

Yellow rim (Serissa foetida)

Coarse-textured broadleaf evergreens or needle-leaf evergreens that naturally grow in a formal to semi-formal shape

Examples:

Distylium (Distylium x)

Carissa holly (llex cornuta ‘Carissa’)

Spreading yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia)

Japanese falsecypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) cultivars such as ‘Golden Mop,’ ‘Filifera Aurea’

Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) cultivars such as ‘Gracilis,’ ‘Nana Gracilis,’ ‘Rheingold,’ ‘Golden Globe’

Dwarf oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis) cultivars such as ‘Aurea Nana,’ ‘Westmont

Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica)

Dwarf arborvitae (Thuja sp.)

Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellata, R. delcourii)

Dwarf aucuba (Aucuba japonica)

Dwarf cryptomeria (Cryptomeria sp.)

Dwarf juniper (Juniperus davurica) ‘Parsonii’

Common Waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera) cultivars such as Danie ‘Don’s Dwarf,’ ‘Tom’s Dwarf’

Dwarf waxmyrtle (Myrica pumila) ‘Fairfax’

Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira)* ‘Wheeler’s Dwarf’

Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus) ‘Maki’*

Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana)*

Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus)

Evergreen shrubs with fragrant or showy flowers.

Examples:

Camellia (Camellia japonica, C. sasanqua)

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)

Abelia x (Abelia x grandiflora)

Winter daphne (Daphne odora)

Soft leaf mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata) ‘Soft Caress’

Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica)

False holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus)

Fragrant tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans)

Knockout rose (Rosa x ‘Knockout’™)

Nontraditional alternatives with distinct character to replace formal hedges.

Examples:

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ (Euphorbia x)

Alexandrian laurel (Danae racemosa)

Drooping leucothoe (Leucothoe axillaris)

Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)

Yucca ‘Tricolor’ (Yucca sp.)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon sp.)*

Saw palmetto (Serenoa sp.)

Germander (Teucrium fruticans)

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Kuma bamboo (Sasa veitchii) **

Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)**

*Limited to the Coastal Plains of Georgia

**For shaded areas

The Following plants are not recommended:

Species	Reason
Japanese spirea (Spiraea japonica)	Category 2 invasive plant
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)	Category 2 invasive plant
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)	Category 3 invasive plant
Leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia japonica)	Category 3 invasive plant
Spreading liriope (Liriope spicata)	Category 3 invasive plant
Clumping liriope (Liriope muscari)	Category 3 invasive plant
Otto-Luyken laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto-Luyken’)	Prone to shot hole fungal disease
Boxleaf euonymus (Euonymus japonicus)	Prone to scale insects
Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)	Susceptible to boxwood blight
Sweetbox (Sarcococca sp.)	Susceptible to boxwood blight

Examples of plants used as substitutes for boxwood:

Spreading yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) This shrub is very full, with a medium-dark green color and branches that turn upward.

Distylium hybrid (Distylium myricoides x Distylium racemosum) These low-growing shrubs are planted in front of a porch and are only about 18 inches high with a loose structure, kind of like a fern.

Little-leaved viburnam (Viburnam obovatum) This viburnum is shown in bloom, covered in small white flowers against medium-green foliage. The plant appears to be about as tall as it is wide.

Dwarf yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) This medium-dark green plant is shown planted densely and shaped into a solid hedge surrounding another planting of red flowers.

Podocarpus (Podocarpus macrophyllus) This podocarpus is shown planted densely and shaped into a hedge alongside a path.

Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense ‘Purple Pixie’) This loropetalum is purple in color with some variation in shade among all the leaves, which are roughly eye-shaped in appearance.

Glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora ‘Rose Creek’) Abelia plants are planted close together and form short poofs of light-medium green foliage in the planting bed. They have stems that point outward and upward, giving it the appearance of a pom-pom.

Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus) Butcher's broom is shown close-up on the branches, which are long and have pointy medium-green leaves.

Winter daphne (Daphne odora) Winter daphne has elongated green leaves with white edges and small pink-white flowers

Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis umbellata) Indian hawthorn is an upright bush with reddish stems and trunk and elongated dark green leaves

Holly osmanthus (Osmanthus heterophyllus) this holly is a dark green shrub that has a texture and growth habit similar to boxwood, but appears to have slightly larger leaves

Kuma bamboo (Sasa veitchii) This bamboo has a low, dense growth habit and large, attractive, surfboard-shaped medium green leaves that are edged in white.

Soft leaf mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’) Mahonia has a fern- or palm-like appearance, grows about waist-high, and produces long stems of bright yellow flowers

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) Rosemary is a medium-dark olive green color and produces brush-like stems covered in soft, needle-like leaves

Alexandrian laurel (Danae racemosa) Alexandrian laurel has a loose growth habit with medium-green pointy leaves

Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) Pineapple guava produces long stems of rounded, soft-green leaves

Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) holly fern looks like many other ferns but has broad, medium-green leaves

Cast iron plant (Aspidistra lurida ‘Milky Way’) Cast iron plant looks like a bulb with long, broad green leaves growing from a centralized clump at ground level

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) a border planting of switchgrass appears tall and thick behind a border of yellow flowers. Switchgrass grows densely and makes an attractive background to lower borders of flowering plants.