About Buxus microphylla Siebold & Zucc.
This description covers Buxus microphylla Siebold & Zucc., focusing specifically on Buxus microphylla var. japonica. For this variety, mature tree height is typically 1 to 3 meters, though it can grow as tall as roughly 4 meters, and in rare cases reaches 10 meters. It has an upright trunk around 10 centimeters thick, with bark that ranges from grayish white to pale brown. Its bright green leaves are 10 to 25 millimetres (0.39 to 0.98 inches) long, oval in shape, and have a rounded or notched tip. Buxus microphylla was first described from Japanese cultivated plants of unknown origin, and no wild populations of the species are known. The species is cultivated as an ornamental plant in its native range and other temperate regions around the world. It is especially well-suited for topiary and low hedging. Buxus microphylla var. compacta, also called Kingsville dwarf boxwood, and similar cultivars are commonly used for bonsai. The cultivar 'Faulkner', which grows to 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall and 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) wide, has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In Japan, wood from Buxus microphylla var. japonica can be used to make hanko, which are personal seals.
