Buxus sempervirens 'Aureovariegata' - English box
English box is a well-known and popular evergreen shrub, used in both town and country gardens. Unless you grow it for trimming into a certain shape it is absolutely maintenance-free and a reliable feature. Leaves of Aureovariegata have creamy-yellow margins, some of them may be completely yellow, others entirely green. It is ideal to light up dark corners or highlight borders with other evergreen shrubs of only green colour. It mixes well with broadleaves as well as conifers.
It grows slowly to moderately and does not make a regular shape so if you want to have it compact trim it in April (for density) and clip it again in mid-summer (for shape). It withstands hard pruning if done in the spring and followed by heavy fertilizing.
It adapts to almost any soil provided it is well-drained but looks best in fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil and partial shade. Box can live happily in full sun if well mulched. This varigated form is fully hardy to -24°C (USDA zone 6) and can survive temporary spells down to -29°C if grown in winter shade.
