Here’s a list of reasons some boxwoods smell bad:
- English boxwoods always have a strong odor when they’re under direct sunlight. ...
- Your yard smells fishy and gross from the fungus in the soil, not the boxwoods. ...
- Small boxwood blooms produce strong odors. ...
- A nearby animal might have urinated on the boxwood bush. ...
- A bad layer of compost can make your lawn smell bad. ...
Do boxwoods have an acrid odor?
Country Living's expert answers your questions about gardening. Do boxwoods have a peculiar, rather acrid odor? Yes, boxwoods do have a scent; it's caused when the sun heats the oil in their leaves.
What is boxwood shrub?
Boxwood shrubs ( Buxus spp.) are known for their deep green leaves and their compact round form. They are excellent specimens for ornamental borders, formal hedges, container gardening and topiary.
Is evergreen boxwood good for hedging?
Evergreen boxwood (Buxus spp.), with its dense leafy growth, is grown for its beauty and utility as a garden plant, especially for hedging.
What is the difference between English boxwood and littleleaf boxwood?
Within their hardiness ranges, littleleaf boxes are slightly more tolerant of temperatures on both the highest and lowest ends of their tolerance spectrum. Mulching to conserve soil moisture is a good idea. English boxwood thrives best in soil that is on the alkaline side of the pH spectrum, whereas littleleaf boxwood is less fussy.
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Are there any boxwoods that don't smell?
Q: Is there a variety of boxwood that does not smell? A: English boxwood, Buxus sempervirens, is well-known to smell like a cat litter box. Asian boxwood, Buxus microphylla, doesn't have the catty odor.
Do all boxwoods smell like pee?
Individual senses of smell differ, but many people think English boxwood smells similar to cat urine. Other boxwood species are less malodorous and can be substituted for the English type.
What is the most fragrant boxwood?
Buxus sempervirens suffruticosa... (fragrant english boxwood) The most fragrant of boxwoods, it is easy to maintain with minimal pruning to allow light and air to reach the center of the bush.
Do green Mountain boxwoods stink?
One drawback of planting boxwoods near a door or window is that, especially after pruning, they emit an odor reminiscent of cat urine (which can upset any felines in your house or neighborhood). Luckily, it doesn't last all season.
What kind of bush smells like cat pee?
Boxwood. Boxwood is commonly used in landscaping and has a very distinctive odor, similar to cat urine. Boxwood has been used in landscaping since colonial times and can be found in all types of landscaping -- ranging from colonial to modern.
What can I use instead of a boxwood?
8 Practical Alternatives to Boxwood ShrubsSprinter® boxwood.Brass Buckle® Japanese holly.Juke Box® pyracomeles.Tater Tot® globe arborvitae.Anna's Magic Ball® globe arborvitae.Stonehenge Dark Druid® yew.Waxwing™ Lime mirror bush.Perfecto Mundo® Double Pink reblooming azalea.
What is the difference between green velvet boxwood and wintergreen boxwood?
Both have small rounded leaves, but Green Velvet has a more pale green leaf than the darker more shiny leafed Winter Gem, and the Green Velvet leaf has kind of a point on the tip. Green Velvet gets about 2' – 4' tall and wide whereas Winter Gem only gets about 2' – 3' tall and wide.
What is the difference between Japanese boxwood and wintergreen boxwood?
All parts of the wintergreen plant are poisonous, except for the ripe berries. Japanese boxwood's leaves also are leathery but are larger, more rounded ovals. During winter, the leaves tend to blush bronze, especially in cold temperatures and full sun exposures. Contact with boxwood sap may irritate the skin.
What do boxwood plants smell like?
Some people are reporting that their boxwood has a bad odor. More specifically, people complain about boxwood bushes that smell like cat urine. The English boxwood seems to be the main culprit. To be fair, the odor has also been described as resinous, and a resinous scent certainly isn't a bad thing.
Does dwarf boxwood smell?
Yes, boxwoods do have a scent; it's caused when the sun heats the oil in their leaves. I particularly love the smell -- it reminds me of happy hours spent in wonderful European gardens, surrounded by brilliant flowers, the hum of bees and the redolence of boxwood.
Does green velvet boxwood smell like cat pee?
While only certain varieties are known to smell like cat or dog urine, all boxwoods have been put into this category, and unfairly I might add! The Green Velvet variety does not stink and has many popular and positive attributes for your landscape or your garden.
What plant stinks the most?
Rafflesia. Flowers of plants in the genus Rafflesia (family Rafflesiaceae) emit an odor similar to that of decaying meat. This odor attracts the flies that pollinate the plant. The world's largest single bloom is R.
What is the best plant for boxwoods?
If other boxwoods are still too smelly for you, try another evergreen plant with similar attributes including hardiness; small, densely borne leaves and tolerance of shearing. One likely candidate is Japanese holly (Ilex crenata), which grows in USDA zones 5 or 6 to 8, depending on the variety.
What is boxwood hedge?
A neatly trimmed boxwood hedge. Image Credit: payee/iStock/Getty Images. Evergreen boxwood (Buxus spp.), with its dense leafy growth, is grown for its beauty and utility as a garden plant, especially for hedging. Some species, especially English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), which grows in U.S.
How tall does a Littleleaf Box grow?
It grows 3 to 4 feet tall, with an equal spread an has a compact, rounded habit.
What zone does boxwood grow in?
Some species, especially English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), which grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 or 6 through 8, depending on variety, feature leaves that exude a strong scent, especially when the sun shines on them. Individual senses of smell differ, but many people think English boxwood smells similar ...
Do Japanese boxwoods like full sun?
In many ways, the littleleaf, non-odorous boxwoods require the same care as the English types. Both like well-draining soil and part shade to full sun, with the littleleaf Japanese varieties doing best in full sun.
Does boxwood smell like cat urine?
Individual senses of smell differ, but many people think English boxwood smells similar to cat urine. Other boxwood species are less malodorous and can be substituted for the English type. Advertisement.
Is Littleleaf Boxwood more tolerant of temperature?
Within their hardiness ranges, littleleaf boxes are slightly more tolerant of temperatures on both the highest and lowest ends of their tolerance spectrum. Mulching to conserve soil moisture is a good idea. English boxwood thrives best in soil that is on the alkaline side of the pH spectrum, whereas littleleaf boxwood is less fussy. Advertisement.
What zone do boxwoods grow in?
The John Baldwin is finely textured and has a wider base and pointer top than the Justin Brouwer. Both boxwoods will grow in hardiness zones 6 through 8, and Brouwer favors moister soils, with Baldwin needing good draining soil.
How tall can a Dee Runk boxwood grow?
Plant Dee Runk boxwoods if a pyramid-shaped boxer is of interest for your landscape and you don't mind a skinny bush, growing a maximum of 2 feet wide . Height for this boxwood can potentially reach 9 feet, however. You won't have to protect this hedge by wrapping it before snow time, so that's an added incentive.
How tall is a John Baldwin boxwood?
The Justin Brouwers boxwood is favored by the likes of the White House and Mount Vernon due to its more compact size -- it grows about 2 feet tall, and as wide -- and its finer textured leaves. The John Baldwin, however, grows much larger in height (over 6 feet) and width (more than 3 feet). The John Baldwin is finely textured and has a wider base and pointer top than the Justin Brouwer. Both boxwoods will grow in hardiness zones 6 through 8, and Brouwer favors moister soils, with Baldwin needing good draining soil. Both boxwoods benefit from a little shade (but it's not required) and both require pruning as juveniles, with Baldwin requiring it after maturing, too.
Do boxwoods need shade?
Both boxwoods benefit from a little shade ( but it's not required) and both require pruning as juveniles, with Baldwin requiring it after maturing, too. If you love the look of boxwoods for your landscape, but could never tolerate the smell of English boxwoods, there's now new hope according to the "Washington Post.".
Do boxwoods smell?
Boxwoods That Don't Smell. If you love the look of boxwoods for your landscape, but could never tolerate the smell of English boxwoods, there's now new hope according to the "Washington Post.".
Why do boxwood bushes smell?
Although I seem to be in love with boxwood shrubs, I know sometimes they can be smelly and odorous. It happens particularly when the boxwood is in bloom – sometime in late spring. You don’t expect this profusely green leafy plant to flower mostly because it is so rare and on such a minuscule scale that you can easily overlook it.
What does boxwood smell like?
Are you one of those people who have been perplexed by a strange pervasive smell in your garden? The odor smells as if a cat has just pissed somewhere nearby. The source of this smell is your boxwood shrub at least as far as this article is concerned. But in reality, it can very well be a cat’s piss that’s making your garden smell.
Final thoughts
It’s true that some boxwood varieties can smell bad during their flowering season. While you can make alterations to continue with these plants, in some cases uprooting them could be a good idea. Imagine you have put your home on sale and you are expecting some buyers to visit your home.
