Korean Boxwood in Pretty Winter Bronze

grouper52

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Thought I'd post this tree for people to enjoy after taking a photo to capture the beautiful bronzed look he's sporting this winter - the prettiest colors I've seen on this guy since I got him a decade ago.

This was a $15 four foot bush I picked up in the sale bin at a nursery in Memphis, the first tree I ever styled from scratch from nursery stock, way back when this sort of styling appealed to me. I still like it, especially when it looks this pretty every once in a while.

Enjoy.
 

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irene_b

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Colors are fantastic against the trunk!
Thank You for sharing!
Irene
 

Rick Moquin

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Will,

What cultivar is he from as mine never seem to turn? Considering our climate delta, mine should turn way before yours LOL. I remember him quite fondly...
 

rockm

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Nice Korean boxwood! Not bad for $15 :D You chose a nice specimen to begin with and developed it very naturally, avoiding the "poodle cut" that many boxwood get.

I've got a couple of these and they are among my favorite bonsai--bulletproof in hardiness and backbud like crazy. Their bark is wonderful in texture and color and their leaves are very small. Its regular, tight compact growth is almost a problem :D and it develops even in shadier locations.

The specific name is confusing. Korean boxwood is a cultivar of Buxus Microphylla Var. koreana., but it's also known as Buxus Sinica:
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/dbpages/145.html

I've found that bronzing depends on a few things and doesn't happen alot, as this cultivar is among the more winter hardy of the boxwoods. Deep freezes can produce the coloring, as can harsh winds.
 

grouper52

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Thanks for your kind words, everyone.

What Rockm said, Rick. I have no idea why he bronzed so nicely this year - I've never seen anything this nice during the decade I've had him. Until 5 days ago the fall weather was unremarkable here except for it being a bit milder longer than usual, so I really have no explanation.

Rockm, I agree these particular boxwoods rock. Below is a photo from ten years ago, right after I reduced it from a 4' two-trunk bush and did other initial work. When I told my wife what I was about to do she threw such a fit I had to send her to bed early to get the work done - a method that I still have to use occasionally, though she's gotten much better. :) She's from the tropics, so her idea of what a proper piece of vegetation should look like is vastly different from this Western US desert rat.

You are right that they easily drift into a pom pom look if allowed or encouraged, and this one is heading that way a bit at the end of the season here. It'll need quite a bit of thinning again in the spring.
 

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grouper52

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Here's the latest on this guy. The thinning of the foliage to create better definition, and the maturing of the bark, have given it a greater sense of age, perhaps, but otherwise there's not too much to do with or to it except yearly trimming.
 

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It was nice coming by the house and seeing you at your craft my brother... :) Always love seeing you and that darling wife of yours. :)

V
 

grouper52

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Great to see you and Eric as well, and Z says Hi.

If I'm not mistaken, you took those pine photos when you got home? It was getting pretty dark when you left here!

Brindle dog says she wants to come live with you, BTW. :)
 

tmmason10

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Another very nice tree grouper. Sounds like you've had it a while and I'd say you have done well with it.
 

grouper52

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AHEM!,

thought I had dibs....
:)

Just the messenger! Just the messenger! :eek:

BTW, perhaps she's just a little slow to learn, but she DID show some interest in carrying around a dead mouse several days ago! Won't do it on command or suggestion yet, though . . . . In fact, does very little on command or suggestion . . . . :)
 
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