Buxus harlandii aka Harland's Boxwood

Bus harlandii, also known as the Harland boxwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae. It is native to coastal southeast China and Vietnam, where it is often found in open wooded areas and stream margins. This small, bushy, multi-stemmed broadleaf evergreen shrub has a rounded vase-shaped form and typically grows to 2-3’ tall and wide, though it can reach 5’ in some cases. The bright green leaves are oblanceolate to obovate-oblong with an indentation at the leaf tip and are generally tolerant of pruning and shearing. In April to May, fragrant pale yellow flowers bloom, with staminate flowers being stalked and pistilate ones being sessile. Attractive white trunk accents the plant. Buxus harlandii is winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-9 and prefers soils with slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH. It grows well in evenly moist but well-drained loams, in full sun to part shade, and is tolerant of a variety of part shade situations, including open sun-dappled conditions or light shade with several hours of morning or early afternoon sun. Established plants have some drought tolerance but should be grown in a protected location sheltered from strong winds in the northern parts of Zone 7, where it is marginally winter hardy. Winter winds can remove moisture from leaves at a rapid rate, often resulting in dehydration and bronzing. The true species may be winter hardy to Zone 8, but B. harlandii of gardens (a form of B. microphylla) may have slightly better winter hardiness. Roots appreciate a good organic mulch (1-2” thick) and should not be cultivated around because of their shallow roots. It is important to note that care must be taken when purchasing Buxus harlandii, as many specimens labeled as such are actually Buxus microphylla. Harland Boxwood is also a rare houseplant that requires regular watering and does best in long-lasting, direct light, less than 1 foot from a window. Annual thinning and removal of dead/damaged branches can improve air circulation, and heavy snow accumulations should be carefully removed as quickly as possible to minimize stem/branch damage.