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Box Holly

Also known as

Butcher's-broom

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Ruscus aculeatus

Genus

Ruscus

Family

Asparagaceae

Order

Asparagales

How to care for Box Holly

💦 Water

How often to water your Box Holly

Box Holly needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Box Holly in your home

Box Holly may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Box Holly in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Box Holly

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Box Holly: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Box Holly after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Trying to propagate box holly in water #BoxHolly Hello! I’m Katya, I just joined this app, and I was wondering if this is even possible. I’ve had this box holly branch from a bouquet that I really liked for a few weeks in water, and I’ve not seen much of root growth. I’m growing a spider plant in water, and wanted to see if it would work with this branch too. Is there anychance this could end up working? 😅

Browse #BoxHolly

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Box Holly is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

How to Grow Box Holly →

Benefits of Growing Box Holly →

Common Box Holly Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Box Holly →

Outdoor Care Guide for Box Holly →

💦 Water Needs

Box Holly prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Box Holly Water Frequency →

Box Holly Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Box Holly may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Box Holly Light Requirements →

Box Holly Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Box Holly is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Box Holly does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Box Holly →

Best Pots for Box Holly →

When and How to Successfully Repot Box Holly →

What Are Healthy Box Holly Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Box Holly grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Box Holly →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Box Holly grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Box Holly Lifecycle →

Box Holly Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Box Holly →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Box Holly can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 7a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Box Holly Temperature Tolerance →

Box Holly Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Box Holly →

When to Plant Box Holly →

How to Plant Box Holly →

Where to Plant Box Holly →

Winter Care for Box Holly →

Best Companion Plants for Box Holly →

Is Box Holly a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Box Holly can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Box Holly →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Box Holly, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.