European box - Buxus sempervirens
Description and Uses
Buxus sempervirens (European box) is a temperate shrub from South West Europe. It is mainly grown for its ornamental crops (medium shelflife), but also Other uses include; medicinal, ornamental and timber can be produced. The crop is harvested by total removing. It starts flowering after 9 - 15 years. The first yield will be 50 fruits/shurb/year but in its top season there will be a yield of 7m trunk. The shoot is edible. Medical uses include; it is medically used as anti-depressant. The root contains Diacetylbuxadin (? - ?). There is Buxus leaf oil extracted by steam distillation from the shrub`s powdered leaf yielding 0.1 - 1% oil. The shrub`s wood is called boxwood and has a density of 950 - 1000 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the shrub`s growing speed is very slow, its energetic value is 4400 ckal/kg and the wood`s drying speed is fast; for firewood production it is not ideal. After 80 years the shrub can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Buxus sempervirens has a lifespan of 1000 years.
Environmental limitations
The shrub is 8 meters tall. It is very slow growing and tolerates not less light than shade tolerant. Buxus sempervirens has a shallow root-system and forms symbiotic relations it has symbiotic associations with the Glomus intraradices fungus. (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen. The shrub`s flower-morphology is hermaphroditic and is pollinated by insects. Buxus sempervirens is evergreen and not allelopathic and has no thorns.
Buxus sempervirens thrives in an altitude of 2 to 1500 meters above sea-level (temperate). The minimum temperature is -15°C and optimally between 10 - 23°C. The optimal rainfall is 900 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 500 - 800 mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 6.0 - 9.0 in a soil texture of sand. To salt it is a bit tolerant to wind a bit tolerant and to fire intolerant.
Pests and Diseases
Cydalima perspectalis,Eurytetranychus buxi,Lepidosaphes ulmi and to Boxwood blight as disease diseases.
Seed Propagation
Seeds are stratificant and can be stored for 9 months. There are approximative 75000 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed: (1) Store harvested seeds dry at room temperature before chilling period., (1) Store harvested seeds moisty at a chilling temperature of 3-7 degrees C for 1-2 months, (2) Soak the seeds overnight in warm water before sowing., (3) Remove the seeds from cold to a permanent warm temperature.
