The ideal grave planting should look beautiful and require a minimum of care. It is also advantageous if some plants decorate the grave for a longer period of time and have little tendency to overgrow. The boxwood family can make a good, permanently green contribution to this.
Is the boxwood suitable for grave planting?
Suitable areBoxwood varieties that remain low and grow slowly. They are easy to shape and enhance the grave area all year round with their evergreen foliage. Care is limited to fertilizing and cutting once a year. Disadvantage: high susceptibility to diseases and pests.
How can the boxwood be used as grave planting?
The roots of the book tree don't go very deep. The shrub can therefore be used as a shaping edge plant or stand in the middle of the grave area as asolitary. The best time for planting is spring from March to mid-April. The days are then warm enough to promote rooting, but at the same time not too hot so that constant watering is not necessary.
Which type of boxwood is particularly suitable for grave planting?
Local nurseries primarily offerthe variety 'Blauer Heinz' for grave planting. It grows slowly, evenly and spherically compact. The key data:
- Growth width and height: 40 to 50 cm
- annual growth: 4 to 6 cm
- smaller leaves, dense crown
- New growth is light green
- later noble bluish shimmering
- dark green in winter
This variety only needs to be cut back every two years. But even without pruning it remains largely compact and well-shaped.
What speaks against boxwood as a grave plant?
Since the boxwood only blooms very inconspicuously, it appears somewhatcool and monotonous as an exclusive plantingIt would therefore make sense to combine it with colorfully flowering plants. However, the biggest problem with the box tree could be if it is attacked by the box tree borer (Cydalima perspectalis) or suffers fromShoot diebackcaused by the fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola. Often ends the one with clearing the plant.
What more resistant alternatives to boxwood are there?
The Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) looks very similar to the boxwood, but could also be visited by the boxwood moth. Better alternatives are yews and hedge myrtles.
Tip
The boxwood as a grave plant has a special symbolism
The boxwood is a symbol of love and long life in many countries. In Germany, the evergreen plant also symbolizes life after death. This explains why the boxwood is often found in cemeteries.
