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Buxus sempervirens, the common box, European box, orboxwood, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Buxus, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia, from southern England south to northern Morocco, and east through the northern Mediterranean region to Turkey.[1][2][3]Buxus colchica of western Caucasus and B. hyrcana of northern Iran and eastern Caucasus are commonly treated as synonyms of B. sempervirens.[4][5]
Buxus sempervirensis an evergreenshrub or small tree growing up to 1 to9 m(3 to30 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 20 centimetres (8in) in diameter (exceptionally to 10m tall and 45cm diameter[6]). Arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, the leaves are green to yellow-green, oval, 1.5–3cm long, and 0.5–1.3cm broad. The hermaphrodite flowers are inconspicuous but highly scented, greenish-yellow, with no petals, and are insect pollinated; the fruit is a three-lobed capsule containing 3-6 seeds.[1][3]
The species typically grows on soils derived from chalk, limestone, usually as an understorey in forests of larger trees, most commonly associated with European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests, but also sometimes in open dry montane scrub, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Box Hill, Surreyis named after its notable box population, which comprises the largest area of native box woodland in England.[7][8]
The species is locally naturalised in parts of North America.[9]