Plant guide
Common boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
Common boxwood is toxic to cats. Chewing the leaves can cause vomiting or diarrhea. Keep trimmings out of reach and contact your veterinarian if your cat eats the plant.
What this guide covers: Buxus sempervirens only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
Photo:
Photo details
Buxus sempervirens — Whole plant
By Leonora_Enking
License: CC BY-SA 2.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 2.0 license.
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Photo:
Photo details
Buxus sempervirens — Whole plant
By Leonora_Enking
License: CC BY-SA 2.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 2.0 license.
Variegated English boxwood
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Keep away from cats. We do not recommend this plant for a home where cats could reach it.
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Look for Buxus sempervirens and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Buxus sempervirens
- Scope
- Species
- Family
- Not recorded
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
Buxus sempervirens only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
- Light
- Sunny position or Some direct sun
Full sun to partial shade, with protection from harsh winter sun and wind.
- Watering
Keep shallow roots from drying excessively, without waterlogging.
- Temperature
- Temperature range not yet established
Protect from drying winter exposure; no indoor temperature interval proposed.
- Humidity
No specific humidity target established.
- Potting
- Well-drained soil; avoid deep planting and mulch the shallow root zone.
- Through the year
- Thin carefully for airflow. Avoid pruning very early in spring or late in summer, and clear away all clippings.
Growing-guide sources
- Buxus sempervirens ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
Buxus sempervirens only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
Growing advice reviewed 2026-10-16. Plant safety is assessed separately.
Reviewed safety information
- Toxic principle
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Reported signs
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Severity
- Severity not established
Missing information is unknown. It should not be interpreted as an absence of risk.
Safe alternatives
No verified alternative recommendations are available for this guide.
Sources & review
- Common boxwood: source assessment ↗ASPCA · Accessed
Listed by the source as Buxus spp.. ASPCA covers Buxus spp.; NC State identifies Buxus sempervirens as the member species. Do not transfer horse-specific severe effects to cats.
- Buxus sempervirens ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
- Common boxwood: source assessment ↗ASPCA · Accessed 2026-10-16
Safety last reviewed .