Practical
Plants

Buxus wallichiana

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Buxus genus in the family Buxaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Buxaceae
Genus
Buxus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
2 m
Spread
2 m
Fertility
Bees, Flies
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Bees, Flies

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The wood is diaphoretic[11]. The leaves are bitter, diaphoretic and purgative[11]. They have proved useful in the treatment of rheumatism and syphilis[11]. The bark is febrifuge[11].

Product or use
Bitter
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Purgative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants can be grown as a hedge, they are very tolerant of pruning but are slow growing[9]. Wood - hard, fine grained, durable. Used for engraving, fine carving, mathematical instruments etc. It is at least equal in quality to B. sempervirens[2][13][14][5][6].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to C. Nepal.
Habitat
Steep shady rocky ravines, often gregarious, 1800 - 2700 metres[13][8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - stratification is not necessary but can lead to more regular germination[3]. The seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[4]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c but stored seed can take longer[4]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of short side shoots with a heel, September in a frame[10]. Difficult[7][10]. Nodal cuttings in spring in a frame. Difficult[10].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in almost any soil that is well-drained[2][10]. Tolerates light shade and chalky soils[1][10]. Tolerates a pH range from 5.5 to 7.4[10]. This species is perfectly hardy in much of Britain[2], tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[8], but it is very slow growing[7]. The foliage is pungently scented, especially when wet[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976-00-00

    ↩

  6. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩

  7. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

  8. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

    ↩1↩2

  9. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  13. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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