Buxus sempervirens L., Buxaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Buxus colchica Pojark.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Caucasian boxwood, European boxwood, French boxwood, Persian boxwood, Turkish boxwood, box, boxtree, boxwood, boxwood tree, common box, common boxwood

Hawaiian: keakula

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Evergreen, much-branched, monoecious shrub or small tree up to 3-(8) m high. Shoots puberulent when young, becoming glabrous, 4-ridged. Leaves puberulent when young, becoming glabrous except near mid-vein, ovate or elliptic, retuse, obtuse at base and subsessile or very shortly petiolate, dark glossy green above, paler below, 15-30 mm long; leaf margin entire, somewhat revolute. Racemes congested in lf axils, many-flowered, c. 5 mm in diameter; ♂ flowers with 4 stamens and 4 calyx segments; ♂ and ♀ flowers bracteate. Capsule glabrous, ovoid-oblong, often veined, 6-10 mm long with 3 slightly divergent horns (remnants of styles); seeds ovoid-oblong, glossy black, 5-6 mm long"  (Webb et al., 1988;; p. 451).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "scrubland, forest margins, waste places, cemeteries. Box is only locally established as a garden escape. It is grown widely as a hedging plant"  (Webb et al., 1988;; p. 451).  In Hawai‘i, "boxwood is easily cultivated at higher elevations where cooler temperature prevail.  The plants thrive in full sun or partial shade"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 208).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Europe, northern Africa, southwestern Asia; also cultivated and naturalized (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 208) cv. "Marginata"

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2007) (p. 86) Escape from cultivation.
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 451)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) NC, NY, OH, TN, VA

Control:  If you know of control methods for Buxus sempervirens, please let us know.