Buxaceae

Buxaceae, the boxwood family, is a small family of flowering plants in the order Buxales. The circumscription of the family varies, but it is generally recognized to include Buxus (boxwoods), Pachysandra (spurge shrubs), and Sarcococca (sweet boxes), with additional genera sometimes placed in or excluded from the family depending on the author. The family contains roughly 70–100 species.

Plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees. Leaves are opposite, simple, usually with entire margins. The inflorescences bear small, inconspicuous flowers. Male and female flowers may occur on the same plant or on separate plants in some genera. The fruit is typically a capsule or rarely a fleshy fruit.

Most species are native to temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, with Pachysandra and Sarcococca primarily Asian and Buxus widely cultivated in Europe and western Asia. The group is grown worldwide as ornamentals, prized for dense evergreen foliage and the ability to be shaped into hedges or used as groundcovers.

Horticultural uses and issues: Boxwood (Buxus) is a staple hedge plant and is widely used in formal gardens; Pachysandra terminalis is a popular groundcover but can be invasive in parts of North America; Sarcococca is valued for winter fragrance and small, evergreen contrasts.

Boxwood blight, caused by Calonectria pseudonaviculata, is a major disease affecting Buxaceae in cultivation and has led to increased emphasis on disease-resistant cultivars and sanitation measures in gardens and nurseries.