Additional Information about Buxus sempervirens 'Fastigiata'

An outstanding upright cultivar. Foliage is rich green with a hint of blue. Excellent choice for narrow hedges, or accenting a door or corner. Deer resistant.

Growing & Maintenance Tips for Buxus sempervirens 'Fastigiata'

‘Fastigiata’ responds well to pruning. Use hand pruners or shears. Lightly prune in late winter or early spring to maintain density and desired form. If winter snow or ice has damaged any limbs or pulled them out from the plant, remove them. Thinning is not necessary but, as with any boxwood, will help increase airflow and sunlight penetration into the interior of the plant.

If a narrow columnar or tight conical form is desired, training will be required. Depending on growth and prior maintenance, a light annual pruning followed by a heavier pruning every 3-5 years or so is necessary to maintain form and minimize splaying due to snow and ice or even heavy wet foliage in spring.

Little or no pruning will yield a broader columnar habit. Understand that this habit will lend itself to branches splaying out from the plant especially in frozen winter precipitation or heavy new growth in late spring.  

‘Fastigiata’ is somewhat resistant to boxwood leafminer and somewhat tolerant to boxwood blight. It has few other pest or disease issues.

Interesting Notes about Buxus sempervirens 'Fastigiata'

Comments: This is a very good upright boxwood. We have chosen to prune it into a narrow column. It can take full sun or full shade. Its foliage is slightly bluer and habit (when unpruned) very similar to ‘Dee Runk’. ‘Fastigiata’ is thriving in some of our personal gardens as a slender hedge.

Uses: Tall hedge, medium hedge, tall specimen, allée, foundation plant, holiday foliage, containers

Substitutes: ‘Dee Runk’, ‘John Baldwin’