Buxus microphylla Sprinter
Best low-maintenance evergreen for gardeners seeking fast-growing, deer-resistant privacy hedges.
The Buxus microphylla Sprinter® is an improved, fast-growing Boxwood perfect for creating low hedges or evergreen accents in your landscape. This Proven Winners® variety forms a dense, bushy, upright mound featuring glossy, small, oval-shaped evergreen leaves. It lends itself well to shearing for formal shapes or can be lightly tweaked for a more informal appearance. It prefers moist, well-mulched, cool soil and thrives in full sun to light shade, provided it is protected from harsh winter winds and extremes. This hardy shrub requires minimal maintenance once established.
$29.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
34
/ 2609
#34 in Bushes & Shrubs
Price vs Category Average
-26%
Below average
Ships as
ONE GALLON POT
/ ONE GALLON POT
Who it's for
- Cold-climate residents needing reliable, year-round evergreen color
- Homeowners seeking instant privacy and established landscape appeal
- Busy gardeners wanting professional structure with minimal effort
Who should skip it
- Gardeners unwilling to monitor or treat for common boxwood pests
- Minimalists preferring slow-growing shrubs that never need shearing
- Sensitive individuals bothered by strong, musky plant odors
Performance breakdown
Growth Rate
Outpaces traditional boxwood varieties for faster landscape establishment.
Maintenance Ease
Requires minimal pruning to maintain its naturally dense, upright habit.
Deer Resistance
Reliably deters local wildlife, making it a safer garden investment.
Year-Round Interest
Glossy evergreen foliage provides consistent structure throughout all four seasons.
Versatility
Adapts effortlessly to formal sheared hedges or relaxed, informal mounds.
Environmental Hardiness
Thrives in varied light but demands protection from harsh winter winds.
Key Specs
Ships as
ONE GALLON POT
Mature Height
24-48 inches
Spacing
24-48 inches
Foliage
Small, leathery, slightly oval leaves
Flower Color
Inconspicuous yellowish green in spring
Cultivar
Sprinter®
Features
- Hardy and fast-growing improved Boxwood variety
- Deer resistant, serving as a good substitute for Yew
- Glossy, small evergreen leaves provide year-round interest
What customers say
Customers consistently highlight the exceptional quality and reliability of the Buxus Sprinter. Reviewers frequently note the plant's robust health immediately upon arrival, minimizing transplant shock. The primary theme is its vigorous, rapid growth, which makes it an excellent choice for quick hedging projects. Users appreciate how easily it establishes itself and maintains its dense, attractive foliage, confirming its status as a low maintenance, high performance shrub. This ease of care justifies the investment for many gardeners seeking dependable landscape structure.
Know before you buy
As an improved variety, Sprinter is notably faster-growing than traditional boxwoods. While growth rates depend on your local climate and soil conditions, you can expect it to reach its mature height of 24 to 48 inches relatively quickly compared to other slow-growing evergreen shrubs.
It is naturally dense and bushy, so it doesn't strictly require pruning to look good. However, it responds very well to shearing if you prefer a formal, manicured hedge, or you can simply give it a light trim occasionally to maintain a specific size.
No, the Sprinter Boxwood is considered deer resistant. Its foliage is generally unpalatable to deer, making it a reliable choice if you are looking for a sturdy alternative to Yew in areas with heavy wildlife pressure.
This shrub prefers moist, well-mulched, and cool soil. It performs best in full sun to light shade, but it is important to plant it in a location protected from harsh winter winds and extreme temperature fluctuations to keep the foliage looking its best.
Yes, Sprinter is an excellent choice for low hedges. Because its mature size is 24 to 48 inches, you should space your plants 24 to 48 inches apart depending on how quickly you want the hedge to fill in and how dense you want the final result to be.
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Ready to buy?
$29