Buxus sinica


Buxus sinica, the Chinese box or small-leaved box, is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae, native to central and southern China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. A shrub or small tree, in the wild it is found in a variety of habitats, usually from above sea level.
There are a number of cultivars, all derived from Buxus sinica var.insularis, including 'Winter Gem', 'Green Gem', 'Justin Brouwers', 'Wintergreen', 'Chegu', 'Tall Boy', 'Tide Hill', 'Winter Beauty', 'Green Mountain', 'Pincushion', 'Filigree', 'Green Velvet', and 'Sunnyside'. In addition to its use in hedging, it is used in bonsai.

Subtaxa

The following varieties are accepted:
  • Buxus sinica var. aemulans – southern China
  • Buxus sinica var. insularis – South Korea, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
  • Buxus sinica var. intermedia – Taiwan
  • Buxus sinica var. parvifolia – southern China
  • Buxus sinica var. pumila – western Hubei
  • Buxus sinica var. sinica – central and southern China, introduced to Japan
  • Buxus sinica var. vacciniifolia – southern China