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Planted at Mount Vernon

Planted at Mount Vernon Upper Garden Bowling Green Fruit Garden & Nursery

  • Upper Garden
  • Bowling Green
  • Fruit Garden & Nursery

  • Hardiness Zones

    6 6 7 7b 8 8b 9 9b USDA basemap

    Average annual extreme minimum temperature 1976-2005

    map legend 6 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

    Boxwood are the quintessential southern garden hedge plant. They are popular for use in knot gardens, parterres, edging, and as topiaries. While the historic English boxwood (Buxus suffruiticosa) are especially susceptible to a devastating and widespread blight caused by the fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola, there are new varieties that have been bred to offer various levels of resistance. Several varieties of boxwood grow in the Mount Vernon gardens including: Buxus sempervirens (American), Buxus microphylla var. japonica 'Green Beauty', and 'Morris Dwarf.'

    Latin Name

    Buxus spp.


    Family

    Buxaceae


    Type of Plant

    Shrubs Shrubs

    Seasons

    Fall Fall
    Spring Spring
    Summer Summer
    Winter Winter

    Specifications

    Max height Max Height: 5'
    Max spread Max Spread: 5'

    Uses

  • Hedge
  • Flower Border
  • Ornamental

  • Sunlight Exposure

    Full Sun Full Sun
    Part Shade Part Shade

    Tolerances

  • Deer
  • Rabbit

  • Toxicity

    Do not ingest Do not ingest

    Colors


    Native Range

    Europe, Asia


    History

    After visiting Mount Vernon in 1796, architect Benjamin Latrobe observed, "On one side of the lawn is a plain Kitchen garden, on the other side a neat flower garden laid out in squares, and boxed with great precission [sic]."


    Other Details

    Grown by Washington Grown by Washington
    Sold at Mount Vernon Sold at Mount Vernon

    Bartlett Tree Expert Company has been working with Mount Vernon Estate since 2011 providing expert arboricultural care and GPS mapping for the estate’s historic trees, as well as support from their research facility.   Mount Vernon is proud to partner with Bartlett Tree Experts and appreciates their sponsorship of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Plant Finder App.

    Bring Washington's Garden Home

    Purchase our historic seeds, collected from plants grown at Mount Vernon and plant them in your own garden.

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