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BUXUS sempervirens 'Newport Blue'

Image of Buxus sempervirens 'Newport Blue'

James Burghardt

Family

Buxaceae

Botanical Name

BUXUS sempervirens 'Newport Blue'

Plant Common Name

Common Boxwood, Newport Blue Boxwood

Special Notice

This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.

General Description

Newport Blue box is an wide, mounded broadleaf evergreen shrub that was first selected in the 1940s at Boulevard Nurseries in Newport, Rhode Island. Its glossy foliage emerges bright green in spring and deepens to a pleasant blue-green to dark green. Each leaf is oval and set in an opposite pair on the upright branches. The musky-scented yellow flowers appear in late spring are not showy, but will be smelled and visited by bees.

This cultivar is best situated in full sun to partial shade, tolerating a wide range of soil types, appreciating a moist fertile loam, but should not be located in wet soils. Shield it from the cold, drying winter winds in areas with colder winters in its hardiness range. The amount of shearing needed for a pleasing hedge or specimen is relatively low. It is often sheared for use in hedges, and is particularly fine for topiary shapes of globes, ovals and cones.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    8 - 6

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    6 - 8

  • Sunset Zone

    3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17

  • Plant Type

    Broadleaf Evergreen

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    4'-5' / 1.2m - 1.5m

  • Width

    6'-8' / 1.8m - 2.4m

  • Native To

    Europe, Southern Europe, Turkey, Northern Africa

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Growth Rate

    Slow

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Cushion/Mound-forming

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Insignificant

  • Flower Color

    Yellow

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Winter)

    Dark Green

  • Bark Color

    Brown

  • Fragrant Flowers

    Yes

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Fine

  • Foliage Sheen

    Glossy

  • Evergreen

    Yes

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Container, Edging, Foundation, Hedges, Rock Garden / Wall

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    No

  • Self-Sowing

    No