Wood Species Guide
Boxwood
Buxus sempervirens
Also called: European Boxwood, Common Box, Box, Turkish Boxwood, Turkey Box
About the name “Boxwood”
True boxwood is Buxus. Several unrelated pale woods are also sold as boxwood, such as castelo or Argentine boxwood and Maracaibo boxwood, and old books used the name for dogwood. Ask which species you are getting.
What Boxwood looks like
Pale yellow to light cream, very uniform, mellowing to a soft golden tone with age. Heartwood and sapwood look the same.
Grain and texture
Extremely fine, even texture with straight to irregular grain. It is about as close to grainless as wood gets, which is why it holds tiny carved detail.
Working Boxwood: planing, cutting and gluing
Very hard and dense but turns and carves superbly with sharp tools. Small logs check badly while drying, so they are usually sealed and dried slowly. Glues well on fresh surfaces.
Finishing Boxwood: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Often left with a light oil or wax polish, and it burnishes to a glossy sheen on the lathe. As an inlay or small part in epoxy it bonds cleanly; the tight grain releases little air.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
The heartwood is rated durable, though it can take dark fungal streaks if left damp. It is stable once dry. In Florida, store blanks sealed and in AC so they don't check or stain.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Boxwood is a carver's and turner's wood: chess pieces, tool handles, rulers, woodwind instruments, combs and fine inlay. Pieces are small and pricey, so it's sold as blanks and short billets. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Boxwood
Carving, chess pieces, engraving blocks, woodwind instruments, rulers, tool handles, inlay and small turned objects.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Rated Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though wild trees are under pressure in places from box blight and the box tree moth.
Safety and toxicity
- Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)
- Skin irritation
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
Boxwood dust can sensitize and irritate eyes, skin and airways. Most people do fine with dust collection and a mask.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask when sanding; gloves for sensitive skin
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Boxwood dust has been reported to irritate eyes, skin and airways and to act as a sensitizer, though severe reactions are uncommon. The leaves are poisonous if eaten. Use dust collection and a mask.
Boxwood in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Boxwood listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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