Kingdom Plantae Family Buxaceae Scientific name Buxus microphylla Rank Species | Order Buxales Genus Buxus Higher classification Box | |
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Similar Box, Chinese Box, Buxus sempervirens, Ilex crenata, Buxaceae | ||
Buxus microphylla (Japanese box or littleleaf box) is a species of Buxus native to Japan and Taiwan.
It is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 2–3 metres (6 ft 7 in–9 ft 10 in) tall. The leaves are bright green, 10–25 millimetres (0.39–0.98 in) long, oval with a rounded or notched tip.
The species was first described from Japanese cultivated plants of an unknown origin; these are dwarf shrubs that only grow to a height of 1 metre (3 ft 3 in), possessing small leaves less than 18 millimetres (0.71 in) long. Wild box plants in Japan differ somewhat, growing to be 2–3 m tall with leaves up to 25 mm long; they are sometimes distinguished as Buxus microphylla var. japonica (Muell.-Arg.) Rehder & Wilson (syn. B. japonica Muell.-Arg.).
Plants from Taiwan are distinguished as Buxus microphylla var. tarokoensis S.Y.Lu & Y.P.Yang.
Plants from China and Korea formerly often cited as Buxus microphylla var. sinica are now treated as a distinct species Buxus sinica.
The species is grown as an ornamental plant, both in its native area and elsewhere in temperate regions around the world.
Buxus microphylla var. compacta (Kingsville dwarf boxwood) and similar cultivars are frequently used for bonsai.
