''Buxus microphylla'', the Japanese box or littleleaf box, is a species of flowering plant in the box family found in Japan and Taiwan. It is a dwarf evergreen shrub or small tree growing to tall and wide.

Description

In the case of ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''japonica'', the tree height is usually 1-3 m, but it can reach up to about 4 m; in rare cases it grows to 10 m. The trunk is upright and about 10 cm thick, and the bark is grayish white to pale brown. The bright green leaves are long, oval with a rounded or notched tip.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan .Bean, W. J. (1976). ''Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles'' 8th ed., vol. 1. John Murray . The species was first described from Japanese cultivated plants of an unknown origin. They are unknown in the wild.

Taxonomy

The scientific name for Japanese box is ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''japonica''. Plants from Taiwan are distinguished as ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''tarokoensis'' S.Y.Lu & Yuen P.Yang. Plants from China and Korea, formerly often cited as ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''sinica'', are now treated as a distinct species ''

Buxus sinica ''Buxus sinica'', the Chinese box or small-leaved box, is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae, native to central and southern China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. A shrub or small tree, in the wild it is found in a variety of ha ...

''.

Uses

The species is grown as an ornamental plant, both in its native area and elsewhere in temperate regions around the world.

Plants For A Future Plants For A Future (PFAF) is an online not for profit resource for those interested in edible and useful plants, with a focus on temperate regions. The organization's emphasis is on perennial plants, named after the phrase "plans for a future" a ...

''Buxus microphylla''
Retrieved September 26, 2007. It is particularly suitable for topiary or low hedging. ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''compacta'' (Kingsville dwarf boxwood) and similar cultivars are frequently used for

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...

. The cultivar ‘Faulkner’ ( tall by broad) has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. In Japan, the wood of ''Buxus microphylla'' var. ''japonica'' can be used to make a ''hanko'' (seal).https://www.inkan-takumi.com/service/material_tsuge.html (in Japanese) Inkan-takumi.com File:Fruit on Buxus microphylla, angled view.JPG, Fruit and foliage of a dwarf variety of ''Buxus microphylla'' ('Hohman's Dwarf') File:Hanko made of Japanese box.jpg, Hanko made of Japanese box

References

microphylla Trees of Korea {{eudicot-stub