Boxwoods: Do or Don’t?

If you’ve spent any time in a Virginia garden, chances are you’ve seen boxwoods. They’re classic, timeless, and a foundational plant in many landscapes. But in recent years, the conversation around boxwoods has shifted. With the spread of boxwood blight, a lot of gardeners and homeowners are asking the same question: Do we need to take all of our boxwoods out?

The short answer? Not necessarily.

Understanding Boxwood Blight

Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that can quickly spread and devastate your boxwood collection if left unchecked. We’ve all seen it—black-stemmed, leaf-dropping, brown-eyed heartbreak. But before you rip everything out, it’s important to know that there are things you can do to both prevent the disease and manage it if it’s already present.

Preventing Blight

Proper spacing for airflow, regular pruning, avoiding overhead watering, and sanitizing tools are all crucial steps in keeping your boxwoods healthy. Additionally, choosing blight-resistant varieties can be a game changer.

Enter Saunders Brothers

This Virginia-based grower has been at the forefront of boxwood cultivation, and they’re doing something really exciting—they’re pioneering new blight-resistant varieties that are also better suited to our increasingly unpredictable climate. So instead of saying goodbye to boxwoods entirely, it might be time to just get smarter about which ones we plant.

Here are a few of my favorites:

‘Green Mountain’ Boxwood

This is a pear-shaped beauty—tall and tidy. It’s perfect against a home’s foundation where you want to add both height and structure. It also handles shaping well if you’re into a more formal garden look.

NewGen ‘Independence’ Boxwood

This one’s a fantastic replacement for old favorites like Green Velvet or smaller English boxwoods like Justin Brower. It’s tough, clean, and has great resistance to blight. Plus, it holds its shape well with minimal fuss.

‘Dee Runk’ Boxwood

Looking for something with a little vertical drama? The Dee Runk is a lovely columnar boxwood that stays narrow—around 2 to 3 feet wide—but reaches for the sky. It’s a perfect backdrop for a cut flower garden, adding just the right amount of structure without stealing the show.

So, Do or Don’t?

We say: Do. But do it wisely.

Boxwoods still have a place in Virginia gardens. With smarter plant choices, proper care, and the help of experts like Saunders Brothers, you can continue to enjoy the beauty and formality of boxwoods—without the heartbreak.

Got a favorite boxwood or a blight success story? Share it below—we’re always learning from each other in the garden.