Overgrown Boxwood

Question: I have a severely overgrown English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) and want to know how hard I can prune it back and when should I prune?

Answer: You can prune boxwoods very severely in the winter but they may take years to look good again depending on the overall health of the plant. I found a video that shows some very severe pruning of boxwoods and it frankly scared me but I asked the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Director (and boxwood expert) Fred Spicer and he gave it a thumbs up.

Most folks would agree it would be best to take the size back gradually (if possible) by regular thinning out of branches to encourage better light penetration and new growth. Take a look at this information from the National Arboretum. They give a great step by step description of proper boxwood pruning techniques. It is not as critical when you do this kind of pruning. It could be done even during the spring and summer months.