There is a very striking alternative to boxwood:Bloombux. You can plant this evergreen as a hedge or as a green 'bulb' in the garden or in pots. Bloombux is totally insensitive to boxwood moth or fungus and even treats you to pink flowers in May and June. In addition to the light pink variety 'Pink', launched last year, there is now a variety with bright pink flowers:Bloombux 'Magenta'.
Bloombux is a dwarf rhododendron with narrow, fresh green leaves. Due to its compact shape, the plant is very similar to boxwood. For example, place two spherical specimens near the front door. Bloombux is about 70 cm high and you can of course also prune it in a cone shape. Just like the boxwood, you can also use it as a hedge. For example, as the outline of a border. The most striking feature of the Bloombux can be seen in May and June. Then pink flower umbels of about 8 cm appear. They are made up of dozens of nectar-rich mini flowers with stamens in the center. Bumblebees are particularly attracted to this. Boxwood moths, on the other hand, stay away from Bloombux. This way you can enjoy the plant without any worries.
Both Bloombux 'Pink' and 'Magenta' do well in either sun or partial shade. Very special is that these dwarf rhododendrons make no demands on the soil. You can therefore plant Bloombux in calcareous, sandy or peaty soil. During the winter months you can enjoy the evergreen without any worries. Bloombux is frost resistant (down to -24 degrees). Pruning is unnecessary, unless you want to trim the plant into shape. Even then you only need to do that once a year as the plant keeps its shape well as it is a slow grower. The best period to prune is just after flowering (end of June).
Bloombux is available in various pot sizes from € 4.00 at garden centers and various web shops.
Photo credit:Bloombux
