Boxwood (Buxus) is an evergreen shrub, used in landscaping for its dense, dark green foliage that is easily shaped into hedges and topiaries. Due to the plant’s reputation for its foliage, many people wonder if this common garden fixture ever produces a bloom. The answer is yes: boxwoods do flower, although the structures are so small and unassuming that they are easily overlooked by the casual observer.
The Appearance and Timing of Boxwood Flowers
Boxwood flowers lack the colorful petals associated with most garden blooms. The small flowers are a pale yellow or greenish-white color, which helps them blend into the surrounding evergreen leaves. These flowers are monoecious, meaning the plant bears separate male and female flowers on the same shrub.
The entire flowering structure is clustered tightly in the leaf axils, the point where the leaf stem meets the woody shoot. Each cluster generally contains a single central female flower surrounded by up to six male flowers. When in full bloom, the visual presence is mostly due to the tiny, yellowish-green anthers emerging from the male flowers.
The bloom period generally occurs in late winter to early spring, often in February or March, depending on the local climate and variety. This early timing means the flowers develop before many other plants have broken dormancy. The dense, year-round foliage of the boxwood often acts as a natural screen, keeping the small blooms hidden from view.
The Distinctive Scent and Pollination Process
While the boxwood bloom is visually discreet, it possesses an olfactory presence that is often the first sign of flowering for many people. The flowers emit a distinct, musky, or pungent aroma that some find unpleasant. This scent can become particularly noticeable on warm, sunny days when the oils within the plant are heated.
This strong odor serves a biological function: attracting early-season pollinators. The blossoms contain both nectar and pollen, making them a valuable food source when few other plants are flowering. The primary visitors to boxwood blooms are various species of bees, including honeybees, but flies are also frequently attracted to the plant’s strong fragrance.
Pollination occurs when the male flowers shed their pollen onto the central female flower within the same cluster. The male flowers have four stamens topped by two-celled anthers that split open to release the pollen. This pollen is then deposited onto the short, sticky stigmas of the female flower, completing the process of fertilization.
From Bloom to Seed Capsule
Following fertilization, the female flowers begin a transition into the plant’s fruit, which is a small, woody structure known as a seed capsule. The immature fruit initially appears green and develops three distinct horns or lobes as it expands. This developing capsule holds the next generation of seeds.
The capsules continue to mature throughout the late spring and summer, eventually turning brown and drying out by mid-summer. When fully ripe, the capsule splits open longitudinally, a process that forcibly discharges the small, shiny black seeds. Each fertilized female flower is capable of producing up to six seeds.
The formation and dispersal of these seed capsules mark the conclusion of the boxwood’s reproductive cycle. The seeds can then germinate, though many boxwood varieties used in landscaping are propagated by cuttings rather than relying on growing from seed.