Side by side
Box or Japanese holly? How to tell them apart
Buxus sempervirens · Ilex crenata
You can tell a box by its smooth-edged leaves in opposite pairs on green, square twigs; a Japanese holly has alternate, finely scalloped little leaves and small black berries.
From a distance they look identical: low, evergreen hedges with small, glossy leaves. Up close: two leaves opposite each other with a smooth edge on the box, alternating leaves with a finely scalloped edge on the Japanese holly.
| Box | Japanese holly | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Opposite, 1–2.5 cm, oval, untoothed and leathery; paler underneath. | Alternate, 1–3 cm, oval, finely scalloped, leathery and glossy dark green; without spines. |
| Flowering | Inconspicuous, fragrant, yellowish-green flowers in March–April (March–April). | Inconspicuous white flowers in May–June; male and female on separate plants (May–June). |
| Fruit | Small capsules with three little horns. | Glossy black berries on female plants; not edible. |
| Bark | Young shoots green and square; the wood is very hard and yellow. | Greyish-brown, densely branched twigs. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 1–5 m | Shrub, 1–3 m, usually kept low in gardens |
| Site | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, acid soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Little | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | May–June and August–September | May–June and August–September |
The best feature in each season
- Spring
- Box flowers as early as March–April with inconspicuous, scented yellow-green flowers that bees visit early; Japanese holly only flowers in May–June, with small white flowers.
- Summer
- In summer the box tree moth strikes: caterpillars that strip box bare and spin webs. They leave the Japanese holly alone, as does box blight.
- Autumn
- Box carries small capsules with three little horns, female Japanese holly glossy black berries.
- Winter
- Both are evergreen. Run your finger along a twig: square and green on box, round and greyish brown on Japanese holly.
Where do they grow?
Box is native to Europe and grows wild on chalky slopes, rare here; in gardens it is the classic low hedge. Japanese holly comes from Japan and is the most widely planted replacement for box in our gardens.
Which one for your garden?
- If your box suffers from box tree moth or box blight, Japanese holly is a good replacement, as is yew. Japanese holly does need acid soil and dislikes wet feet: on heavy, wet soil it sometimes dies back.
- All parts of box are poisonous, especially the leaves: never give clippings to animals. For wildlife, both offer little; a native hedge of wild privet or yew does more.
Did you know? In Flanders box is also called palm: the blessed sprigs handed out on Palm Sunday are box.
Read on
- Plant profile: Box
- Plant profile: Japanese holly
- Box: when and how to prune
- Japanese holly: when and how to prune
- Identification key