Buxus harlandii ‘Richard’, commonly known as Harland Boxwood, is a compact, evergreen shrub prized for its fine-textured, glossy, deep green foliage and upright, vase-shaped growth habit. It’s a popular choice for formal hedging, topiary, or as a backdrop for other plants due to its slow growth rate and ability to be easily shaped. It prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
‘Richard’ exhibits a naturally compact, upright, and vase-shaped growth, typically reaching around 1 meter in height and width. It’s wider than it is tall.
Foliage:
The leaves are small, rounded, and have a distinctive indentation or notch at the tip, making them easy to identify. They are a deep, glossy green and provide a fine, dense texture.
Hardiness:
It’s a hardy shrub, suitable for a range of conditions, including full sun to partial shade.
Uses:
It’s well-suited for formal hedging, topiary, container planting, and as a backdrop or border plant in mixed plantings.
Spacing:
For hedging, plants should be spaced 50-60cm apart to create a dense, uniform line.
Pruning:
‘Richard’ responds well to trimming and can be lightly pruned in late spring to maintain its shape. A second trim in late summer may be necessary for formal hedges or topiary.
Other:
It’s known for its disease resistance, including resistance to boxwood blight. It’s also reported to be deer resistant. The leaves may bronze in winter.
Buxus harlandii ‘Richard’, commonly known as Little Boxwood, is a hardy evergreen shrub well-suited for hedging, topiary, and container planting. It prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained soil with consistent moisture. For hedging, spacing plants 30-40 cm apart is recommended. This cultivar is known for its round-oval shaped foliage with an indentation at the tip, and it can be pruned into various shapes.
Cultivation Details:
Sunlight: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Well-drained soil with consistent moisture is ideal.
Spacing: For hedging, space plants 30-40 cm apart.
Pruning: Can be pruned into formal hedges, topiary shapes, or left to grow naturally.
Fertilizing: Benefits from a spring feeding, but avoid over-fertilizing, which can cause excessive soft growth that is susceptible to frost damage.
Watering: Potted plants will require more frequent watering, especially in warm weather.
Frost Protection: ‘Richard’ can be susceptible to frost damage due to early spring growth, so consider providing some protection in areas prone to late frosts.
Uses: Suitable for hedging, topiary, container planting, and as a backdrop for other plants.
