Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa', dwarf English boxwood, is the smallest, eventually reaching 2' by 2'. But all boxwoods grow very slowly so picking whatever box you can find locally and keeping it trimmed should not be too difficult. Always best to start with smaller plants initially and trim to shape as they establish and grow.

gal??? .. will box thrive in TX.... of all the TX heat stories we have head.. i wouldnt think something like ENGLISH box would thrive...

could england and TX be more bipolar weather-wise and garden-wise ???

and for sure.. if you CANT FIND IT IN YOUR AREA.. the reason usually is that the sellers know it wont grow there.. and they dont want you coming back for refunds...

how about you post some pix.. add the perennial forum... as well as shrubs.. and ask us for ideas so you can set some goals...

box in TX might not be a good goal.. or i am completely wrong... in which case.. i will defer... been there.. done that.. happy to do it again...

ken

" gal??? .. will box thrive in TX.... of all the TX heat stories we have head.. i wouldnt think something like ENGLISH box would thrive... "

Sigh. Yes, ken, boxwood can thrive in Texas. A simple internet search would confirm that. 'English' box is only a common name.......the plant itself is native to often hot, dry areas like southern Europe and north Africa.

Most TX sources recommend Buxus microphylla over that of B. sempervirens as being more heat tolerant but as long as provided with some partial shade and adequate irrigation, either species (as well as the many microphylla hybrids) should do fine.

ETA: one can even grow hostas in Texas. It's not the end of the world!!

sigh. Yes, ken, boxwood can thrive in Texas. A simple internet search would confirm that. 'English' box is only a common name

==.. but then i wouldnt really need to talk to my forum friends... and can do all this stuff on the web.. but then i would be lonely.. and i might even miss you ...

but then you go on.. and recommend two type of box other than english.. and note they will need aggressive watering.. otherwise known as irrigation... sooo.. they wont be plant and forget plants.. ever.. it sounds like... so one mght wonder about the word thrive... without extensive aftercare....

and yes.. we have a TX peep in the hosta forum.. who has been banging her head on the side of the house for a decade.. trying to grow hosta... the biggest problem is the requisite cold dormancy... which is hard to get down there.. seems about every 3rd year or so.. it just wouldnt stay cold enough.. long enough.. and no.. i dont know where she is in tx... then there was the year she lost it all due to some strange disease in the media...

ken

No one said anything about "aggressive watering". And 'irrigation' includes water from any source, including rain. Other than climate adjusted native species, all plants will require periodic watering in hot, dry climates....that doesn't mean they won't thrive in that location and hardly consists of "extensive aftercare". Very few plants will fit under the label of "plant and forget"! That's the difference between actual gardening and neglect.

Why not try to be a bit more encouraging rather than attempting to dissuade novice or budding gardeners from anything outside of your direct, personal experience? Many of your comments are confusing at best and filled with unnecessary hyperbole.

I’ve looked into this myself, as I’d like to do minimal maintenance to keep boxwood short. Baby Jade boxwood tops out at 2-3 feet as does Franklin’s Gem. Proven Winners has a variety called North Star that is supposed to max out at 2.5 feet. The dwarf English you mentioned tops out at 2 feet. I’ve seen some other varieties online that are supposed to be in this range, but haven’t seen them in person, like Little Missy. Most of what our local big box stores carry are the boxwood varieties that get 4x4, so I’ve done a lot of looking at our local nursery and online to find the smaller varieties.