- Mature height
- Maintained as a clipped ball
- Mature width
- Maintained as a clipped ball
Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' Ball is a specimen-grade topiary ball, grown and clipped to a true sphere before it leaves the nursery. The reason to choose Faulkner over English Box is colour in the sun. It holds a deep glossy green through full sun and summer heat in positions where Buxus sempervirens bronzes off, browns at the tips and thins on the exposed side.
The leaves are small, rounded and high gloss, carried on short internodes. That gives a tight clipped surface with no gaps in the outline, so the sphere reads as a solid form rather than a shrub that has been trimmed round. At this size the plant has years of growing and clipping behind it, which is what separates a specimen ball from a nursery-grade one.
Growth is slow, which is why it holds its shape between trims. Two light clips a year is enough to keep the sphere true. Faulkner is frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and noticeably less susceptible to box blight than English Box, which makes it the safer choice where box has struggled before.
Use it in pairs at an entry, as the full stop at the end of a hedge run, repeated down a path, or single in a large pot on a terrace. A ball this size carries a courtyard on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' Ball
What is Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner'?
'Faulkner' is a named cultivar of Japanese Box, selected for its glossy rounded foliage and dense compact habit. It is widely planted in Australian formal gardens because it holds colour and density in conditions that mark English Box.
How big is the ball?
The 90cm ball is approximately 900mm across, supplied in a 90L pot. It is specimen grade, meaning the sphere is already dense and true and needs no training, only maintenance clipping.
How is it different from English Box?
Sun and heat tolerance, and blight. English Box bronzes and browns in full sun and hot summers, and is the box most affected by box blight. Faulkner keeps its glossy dark green in the same position and is far less susceptible to blight. English Box gives a slightly finer leaf, so it still has a place in shaded or cool positions.
How often does it need clipping?
Two light clips a year, in spring and again in late summer. Trim little and often rather than hard. Cutting back into bare old wood reshoots slowly and can leave a flat spot in the sphere for a season.
Is it frost hardy?
Yes. Faulkner survives heavy and frequent frost without damage, so it suits the tablelands, Ballarat, Bendigo and the alpine fringe as well as coastal and metropolitan gardens.
Will it grow in a pot?
Yes, and it is one of the best plants for a large formal pot. Use a free-draining premium potting mix in a pot at least 60cm across, water more often than you would in the ground, and top dress or repot every second year.
How do I care for it?
Water deeply through the first growing season, then only in extended dry periods. Feed with a slow-release fertiliser in early spring. Clip twice a year to hold the sphere. Mulch annually and keep the mulch clear of the stem.
