{"product_id":"buxus-microphylla-topiary-cones","title":"Buxus microphylla Topiary Cones","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBuxus microphylla\u003c\/em\u003e Topiary Cones are pre-clipped formal specimens of the small-leaved Japanese box, trained into an upright tapered cone with a wide base rising to a single point. Foliage is fine, dense and deep green all year. Left unclipped the species makes a shrub of 1 to 2 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt takes full sun to part shade in free-draining soil and suits cool temperate through to subtropical districts, carrying heat and humidity better than English Box with stronger resistance to box blight. It is frost hardy and drought tolerant once established. Growth is slow at 10 to 20 centimetres a year, so two light trims hold the taper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCones give vertical structure that clipped balls cannot, so they work paired at a front door, marking the corners of a parterre, lining a driveway or standing alone in a large decorative pot. They are supplied pre-clipped and ready to place, which is the only practical way to put a form this size into a courtyard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Buxus microphylla Topiary Cones\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat is Buxus microphylla?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eBuxus microphylla is the small-leaved or Japanese box, an evergreen shrub with fine glossy foliage that reaches 1 to 2 metres if left to grow naturally. It clips more tightly than almost anything else available and holds a formal outline for years, which is why it is a standard choice for cone and ball topiary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow big are the topiary cones?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eThe 200 litre cones stand approximately 1.4 to 1.7 metres tall with a base diameter of 0.8 to 1.0 metres, tapering evenly to a point. They arrive pre-clipped and ready to place, well rooted and in proportion to the pot, and they are held at that size by clipping rather than grown on.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat form are the cones trained into?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eEach plant is clipped into an upright cone, wide at the base and tapering to a single point, sometimes called a pyramid or steeple form. Unlike a ball, a cone reads as a vertical accent and draws the eye upward. The shape is built over several years in the nursery, then held with light clipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow fast does Buxus microphylla grow?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eSlowly, at roughly 10 to 20 centimetres a year once established, which is slower than English Box in most districts but steady and predictable. That pace is an advantage in topiary, because the cone drifts out of shape gradually and two light trims a year are enough to keep the lines clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs Japanese Box better than English Box in warm or humid gardens?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIn hot and humid conditions, yes. Buxus microphylla carries heat and humidity better than Buxus sempervirens and shows stronger resistance to box blight, so it holds condition through subtropical summers where English Box can thin out. English Box still has the finer leaf and the tightest texture in cool climates.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs it frost hardy and drought tolerant?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eBuxus microphylla is frost hardy and comes through heavy, repeated frost without leaf damage, so it suits the tablelands, Canberra and cold inland Victoria. It is drought tolerant once established, although the first two summers need consistent deep watering. Plants in pots dry out faster and need checking through hot weather.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I care for Buxus microphylla Topiary Cones?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eWater deeply through the first two summers, then reduce and top up only in long dry spells. Apply a slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in autumn. Clip lightly in spring and again in late summer, working from the top down to hold the taper. Mulch lightly and keep it clear of the stem.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"200L","offer_id":46921202499783,"sku":"BUXMIC200L-CONE","price":3630.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/buxus-microphylla-topiary-cones","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}