Buxus sempervirens Seeds - Common Boxwood

Buxus sempervirens, or the common boxwood, is a flowering evergreen shrub belonging to the Buxaceae family. B. sempervirens is a slow growing species, but can reach heights of up to 30 feet tall and can have trunk diameters of up to 8 inches. Boxwoods are commonly used as ornamental plants, hedges, topiaries, and bonsai. The slow growth of boxwoods results in extremely hard wood that resists splitting and is excellent for the construction of musical instruments, wooden mallets, cabinets, and many other applications that require extremely hard wood. Buxus sempervirens are hardy to zone 6-8. Buxus sempervirens seeds require a period of cold stratification before they will germinate. Place the seeds in a ziplock bag containing a small amount of moist, but not soaking wet sand or vermiculite. Make sure the seeds are distributed through the moist sand/vermiculite and place the seeds in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 weeks. After this cold stratification, plant the seeds ¼ inch deep in a well d