Arbor Day Message Board

[bk]

The yard has several shrubs that hadn't been pruned in years. We removed a juniper that had become enormous (about 7 feet tall) and ugly. Now, we're trying to figure out what to do with the shrub that was beside the juniper, which I believe is a boxwood. It is also about 7 feet tall (too tall) and the side that was next to the juniper got no sun, so no foliage.

Although we can shape the boxwood's remaining foliage, it is too big. Should we just remove the boxwood, or can it be salvaged? If we cut it down to size, there wouldn't be any leaves left. Would the leaves grow back in? Would we ever get anything attractive?

Thanks for any help.

bk

[watsont]

If it is a boxwood...it can be rejeuvinated. You can remove all of the foliage in early spring if necessary. Boxwoods will produce new growth from woody tissue that is exposed to sunlight.

[fusion2]

Ive seen them cut to the stump and they have come back also I cut the middle out of one to reduce its size 3 years later you can hardly tell if was ever trimmed.

[Quirky Quercus]

I would just let it fill in. It doesn't appear to need any trimming additional trimming and boxwoods are very slow growing which obviously makes a huge one like that one worthy of keeping.