The Different Types of Buxus Plants

We’ve explored how to take care of Buxus in our previous blog and briefly tackled its popular varieties. As a slow-growing evergreen hardy shrub, here are its characteristics:

• Buxus has 70 species
• It belongs to the family of Buxaceae
• Tropical or subtropical Buxus are native to southern Europe, south and southeast/west Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean
• It grows from 155 cm to 457 cm high 
• It prefers humus-rich loam but can also grow in other soil types

Let’s learn more about types of Buxus and Buxus varieties!  

Here are some of the common varieties of Buxus

Buxus microphylla (Small-leaved Cultivars)

Buxus microphylla is one of the most practical buxus types for Australian gardens because it combines compact growth, small leaves, and strong versatility. On the current Spring Colours page, it is introduced as a small-leaved buxus group, also called littleleaf boxwood, with tiny rounded leathery leaves and a preference for cool, moist, well-drained soil. That makes it especially useful for gardeners looking for neat structure without the bulk of a larger hedge shrub. As a group, Buxus microphylla varieties are often chosen for edging, formal borders, low hedging, and compact landscape shapes where a tighter leaf size helps create a cleaner finish. They also suit people comparing different types of buxus because this group includes several of the most popular compact forms used in home gardens.

• A key small-leaved buxus group for structured planting.
• Known for compact foliage and tidy form.
• Best suited to well-drained soil and careful placement.
• A strong starting point when comparing buxus varieties.

Compacta

Compacta is one of the best buxus varieties for very low borders and finely detailed formal planting. The current Spring Colours article describes Compacta, also known as Kingsville dwarf, as a very small-growing selection commonly used as a border plant and notes that it grows only about 1.27 cm each year. That extremely slow and compact habit is exactly why it is so useful in gardens where scale matters and where larger box forms would quickly feel too heavy. For gardeners comparing types of buxus, Compacta is less about height or screening and more about precision. It works best where a neat edge, miniature hedge line, or compact clipped shape is more important than fast fill. In design terms, this is the variety people often choose when they want buxus to behave almost like a living trim line.

• Also known as Kingsville dwarf.
• Best for small borders and compact edging.
• Very slow growing, which helps keep it neat.
• Ideal where fine structure matters more than size.

Faulkner

Faulkner is a versatile buxus variety that suits gardeners who want a compact but fuller shrub for borders, beds, or containers. Spring Colours describes Faulkner as easy to grow despite its slow-growing habit and says it can be used as a border plant or planted in a bed or container, reaching about 120 cm tall and 90 cm wide. That makes it a useful middle-ground option in the wider range of buxus varieties. It is not as tiny as Compacta, but it still stays controlled enough for formal and residential garden use. For many homeowners, Faulkner is appealing because it gives the classic buxus look while offering a little more substance and presence in the landscape. It can work well in repeated planting where consistency matters, but it is also useful as a standalone clipped shrub in smaller spaces.

• Described as easy to grow and slow growing.
• Suitable for borders, beds, and containers.
• Reaches around 120 cm high and 90 cm wide.
• A strong all-round option among buxus varieties.

Japonica

Japonica is one of the most useful buxus varieties for gardeners who want a larger, more adaptable form for hedging, topiary, and foundation planting. On the current page, Spring Colours notes that Japonica, also called Japanese boxwood, can grow up to 198 cm and is popular for topiary, hedging, and foundation use. That broader landscape role is what separates it from the more compact microphylla forms. If Compacta is about detail and Faulkner is about balanced versatility, Japonica is about scale and flexibility. It can suit gardeners who want a stronger hedge presence while still keeping the classic clipped buxus look. In comparisons of types of buxus, Japonica is often a practical option when a planting needs to be more substantial without moving into the much larger sempervirens territory.

• Also called Japanese boxwood.
• Popular for topiary, hedging, and foundation planting.
• Can grow to around 198 cm.
• A good choice when more size and flexibility are needed.

Buxus sinica (Korean boxwood) 

Buxus sinica is valued because it offers a dense, cold-hardy form of buxus with fine evergreen foliage and strong structural use. The current Spring Colours blog describes Korean boxwood as a cold-hardy type with dense, thick branches and finely textured evergreen leaves. It also positions this group as another important branch of types of buxus, with several useful compact selections beneath it. That makes Buxus sinica especially relevant for gardeners comparing growth habit and foliage texture across different boxwood types. It is typically chosen for its controlled shape and tidy appearance rather than dramatic size. In a design sense, Korean boxwood forms are often appreciated when a garden needs low, evergreen structure that still feels refined and manageable. This group is particularly useful as a bridge between miniature border forms and stronger hedge candidates.

• Introduced as a cold-hardy buxus type.
• Known for dense branching and fine evergreen foliage.
• Includes several compact and useful garden forms.
• Important when comparing different buxus varieties by texture and habit.

Nana

Nana is a reliable low-growing buxus variety for gardeners who want compact hedging and soft structural borders. Spring Colours says Nana typically grows to about 60 cm tall and 90 cm wide and is often used as a garden fence, low hedge, or foundation plant. That makes it especially useful in gardens where the role of buxus is to define space without becoming visually dominant. Among the many buxus varieties, Nana is a practical option for people who want something smaller than a general hedge shrub but larger and broader than the tiniest dwarf forms. It works well when repeated in a line, where its neat proportions help create rhythm and order. Because of its size, it can also suit residential gardens where full-height hedging would feel too heavy or unnecessary.

• Typically reaches about 60 cm high and 90 cm wide.
• Often used for low hedges and foundation planting.
• Useful for soft structure without visual heaviness.
• A practical compact choice among types of buxus.

Justin Brouwers

Justin Brouwers is a compact rounded buxus variety that suits low-maintenance formal planting. The current Spring Colours content describes Justin Brouwers as a small, compact, rounded type that grows to around 60 cm in both height and width and does not need regular pruning. That combination is especially valuable for gardeners who like the clean look of buxus but do not want to clip constantly to maintain shape. In the wider discussion of buxus varieties, Justin Brouwers stands out as a naturally neat option. It is well suited to smaller garden beds, repeated front-of-border planting, and formal layouts where a uniform look matters. Because it holds a tidy rounded shape on its own, it is also useful in projects where consistent form is important but maintenance time is limited.

• Grows to around 60 cm high and wide.
• Naturally compact and rounded.
• Described as low maintenance with less need for frequent pruning.
• A strong choice for tidy formal planting.

Sunburst

Sunburst is a more ornamental buxus variety chosen for foliage interest as well as form. Spring Colours describes Sunburst as a dwarf, conical shrub with small glossy leaves that turn dark green in winter and notes that it grows to around 121 cm in height and width. This makes it one of the more visually distinctive options among the listed buxus varieties, especially for gardeners who want more than plain green structure. The conical form and seasonal foliage character give it a slightly more decorative role in the landscape. It can still function as part of a formal planting scheme, but it also works well where subtle variation in colour and shape is welcome. For gardeners comparing types of buxus, Sunburst is useful when the goal is a neat shrub with a bit more ornamental appeal.

• Described as a dwarf, conical shrub.
• Has small glossy leaves with seasonal colour change.
• Reaches around 121 cm in height and width.
• A good option for gardeners wanting more ornamental foliage interest.

Buxus sempervirens

Buxus sempervirens is the classic larger boxwood group for gardeners who want strong evergreen presence and long-term hedge potential. On the current Spring Colours page, it is described as the common cultivar group, able to live for 100 years or more and slowly grow from around 457 cm to 609 cm, making it suitable as an effective privacy hedge. That gives it a very different role from the smaller compact forms discussed earlier. In the broader conversation around types of buxus, sempervirens is less about low border use and more about permanence, scale, and structural screening. It is the group people usually look at when they want traditional boxwood character with much greater size potential. For larger gardens or more formal long-term designs, it remains one of the most important buxus categories to understand.

• A larger traditional boxwood group.
• Can live for 100 years or more.
• Can grow to around 457–609 cm over time.
• Well suited to privacy hedging and long-term structure.

American cultivar

The American cultivar is a larger upright buxus option best suited to privacy borders and traditional hedging. Spring Colours describes American boxwood as a round, upright, large shrub that is popular as a privacy border or hedgerow and notes that it blooms in spring and can grow up to about 610 cm. That clearly places it in the larger-scale end of the buxus varieties spectrum. For gardeners comparing different options, the American cultivar is useful when the goal is not miniature edging or container planting, but stronger evergreen presence and long-term height. It fits best in gardens where space allows a larger shrub to mature properly. In design terms, this is one of the varieties to consider when buxus needs to function more like an evergreen boundary plant than a clipped decorative detail.

• A large upright shrub within Buxus sempervirens.
• Commonly used for privacy borders and hedgerows.
• Can grow up to around 610 cm.
• Better for larger spaces than small formal edging.

Dee Runk

Dee Runk is one of the best buxus varieties for gardeners who want a naturally upright, columnar hedge form. The current Spring Colours article explains that Dee Runk grows in a vertical, columnar shape up to around 243 cm high and notes that its natural upright habit makes it ideal for privacy hedging. It also says it can grow between 8 and 15 inches per year, which gives it stronger forward movement than many very slow dwarf forms. In the wider landscape use of types of buxus, Dee Runk is especially valuable where width needs to stay more controlled but height and structure still matter. This makes it a strong choice for boundary planting, narrow screening lines, and formal garden layouts where space is tighter but privacy is still important.

• Known for its upright, columnar habit.
• Grows to around 243 cm high.
• Useful for privacy hedging in narrower spaces.
• A standout choice when comparing buxus varieties for vertical structure.

Blauer Heinz

Blauer Heinz is a dwarf buxus variety valued for its compact form and blue-green foliage tone. Spring Colours says Blauer Heinz grows to about 30–60 cm tall and wide and describes it as a dwarf variety with blue-green foliage and waxy white bloom. That foliage character helps distinguish it from more standard dark green forms and gives it a slightly softer or cooler appearance in the garden. Among different buxus varieties, Blauer Heinz is a useful option when the planting needs to stay low, neat, and visually refined. Its size makes it well suited to edging, low formal beds, or repeated compact planting where a slightly different foliage tone can add subtle variation without disrupting the overall look.

• A dwarf buxus with compact proportions.
• Grows around 30–60 cm tall and wide.
• Noted for blue-green foliage and a waxy bloom.
• Strong for low formal planting and refined edging.

Spring Colours is a plant nursery located in Sydney’s Dural neighbourhood. With over 30 years of experience in garden landscaping and delivering high-quality plants to plant lovers at great prices, we are committed to making the world a greener place and adding new life to your home and garden.

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