A small, dense evergreen with tiny, glossy dark green leaves that looks a lot like boxwood. It holds a clipped shape well and stays compact, which makes it a dependable choice for low hedges and borders in the shadier parts of a yard.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. It wants steadier moisture than desert shrubs, especially through summer. Good drainage and a layer of mulch help keep the roots cool and evenly moist.
Pruning
It takes shearing well. Light, frequent trims keep it tight and formal, or it can be left to grow in a looser, natural shape. Avoid heavy shearing in the heat of summer, when newly exposed leaves can scorch.
Heat and sun
Afternoon sun and reflected heat are hard on it in Phoenix. On east and north exposures, or under the high shade of a tree, it stays greener and fuller.
How our designers use it
Low hedges and borders
It keeps a crisp edge along walks, beds and patios, and it can be held as low as a foot or two.
Shady foundations
Our designers like it along north and east walls, where many flowering desert shrubs get leggy.
Containers and formal accents
It suits pots and courtyard or entry plantings that call for a tidy, clipped look.
Good to know
Around the pool
Low litter and no thorns. It works well in shaded beds near the pool, as long as it is out of hot, reflected afternoon sun.
