How Much Does a Boxwood Shrub Cost?

Updated on September 7, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 10 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

A boxwood shrub usually costs about $18 to $120 per plant for the container sizes most homeowners buy, while larger 5- to 7-gallon plants can reach roughly $90 to $150. Current examples range from a $17.98 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwood at Home Depot to $149.50 for a 7-gallon Wintergreen at The Tree Center. Specialty topiary and mature garden specimens can cost more, but they should not be blended into the price of an ordinary nursery shrub.

The number of plants can change the price just as much as size. Home Depot currently sells a 40-pack of 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwoods for $445.74, or about $11.14 per plant. Buying 40 of the same $17.98 single plants would total $719.20, so the bulk pack cuts the plant-only bill by $273.46, or about 38%.

Installation is separate unless a garden contractor quotes a planted hedge. Current 2026 planting data puts hedge installation around $10 to $45 per linear foot, or roughly $500 to $2,250 for 50 feet. Plant size, spacing, bed preparation, delivery, irrigation, access, and local labor can move the total.

Article Highlights

• Common container-grown boxwoods currently cost about $18 to $120 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 0.6 to 4 hours of work, before taxes) each, with larger nursery sizes reaching roughly $150.
• A 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwood currently costs $17.98 at Home Depot.
• The Tree Center lists American boxwood from $29.50 to $109.50 and English boxwood from $39.50 to $119.50.
• A 40-pack of 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwoods costs $445.74, or $11.14 per plant.
• Professional hedge installation currently runs about $10 to $45 per linear foot across general landscaping projects.
• Professional shrub trimming can cost about $5 to $20 per bush, but boxwoods do not need routine fertilization when soil tests show no nutrient deficiency.

How Much Does a Boxwood Shrub Cost?

Current retail prices show a much lower everyday market than the old $50 to $500 (about 0.2 to 2.1 full-time workdays at $30 per hour) per plant estimate. Home Depot lists a 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwood at $17.98. At the online-nursery end, The Tree Center’s current boxwood collection has many cultivars from roughly $24.50 to $149.50, depending on variety and container size.

Current boxwood example	Container or package	Published price
Wintergreen boxwood, Home Depot	1 gallon	$17.98
Wintergreen boxwood bulk pack	40 x 1 gallon	$445.74, $11.14 each
American boxwood	1 to 5 gallon	$29.50-$109.50
English boxwood	1 to 5 gallon	$39.50-$119.50
Green Velvet boxwood	1 to 5 gallon	$29.50-$89.50
Green Beauty boxwood	1 to 5 gallon	$39.50-$119.50
Franklin’s Gem Korean boxwood	1 to 3 gallon	$39.50-$79.50

The current Home Depot 40-pack is especially useful for hedge budgeting because it prices the same 1-gallon Wintergreen at $11.14 per plant. Buying in quantity can reduce plant cost sharply before any labor savings from installing a whole row at once.

What You’re Actually Buying

Boxwood is a group of broadleaf evergreen shrubs in the genus Buxus. Price depends more on cultivar, container size, finished dimensions, density, and seller than on a simple age label. Two plants that are both called “3-gallon boxwood” can differ in height, width, branching, and how quickly they create the look a buyer wants.

Common names can also mislead. “American boxwood” is a common horticultural name for Buxus sempervirens, but it is not native to North America. North Carolina State Extension identifies Buxus sempervirens as native to western and southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.

For a hedge, buying the correct mature size and growth habit matters more than buying the most expensive plant. Compact cultivars suit low borders. Upright or larger-growing forms suit taller screens and architectural planting. A cheaper cultivar that is wrong for the finished height can create years of unnecessary pruning or replacement expense.

Container Size Changes Cost

Container size gives a much more defensible price ladder than guessing a shrub’s age. American boxwood currently costs $29.50 (about 59 minutes at $30 per hour) for 1 gallon, $59.50 for 2 gallons, $69.50 for 3 gallons, and $109.50 for 5 gallons.

The same pattern appears with English boxwood: $39.50 for 1 gallon, $79.50 for 2 gallons, $99.50 for 3 gallons, and $119.50 for 5 gallons. Moving from the 1-gallon to the 5-gallon size adds $80, tripling the purchase price.

The price premium buys more immediate garden mass rather than a different species. Ten 1-gallon American boxwoods at $29.50 total $295. Ten 5-gallon plants at $109.50 total $1,095. The larger starting size adds $800 before delivery or installation.

Boxwood Hedge Cost

Hedge economics are where boxwood pricing becomes more useful than one per-plant number. The exact plant count depends on cultivar, mature width, starting size, and the designer’s spacing. A 20-foot low border built from small plants can use a very different count from a 20-foot hedge built from 5-gallon shrubs.

Case 1: ten inexpensive starter plants. Ten current Home Depot 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwoods at $17.98 each cost $179.80 before planting materials or labor.

Case 2: forty-plant hedge purchase. Forty individual $17.98 Wintergreen plants total $719.20. The current 40-pack is $445.74. The bulk option saves $273.46, leaving the plant-only bill about 38% lower.

Case 3: professionally installed 50-foot hedge. HomeGuide’s 2026 landscaping data puts hedge planting at $10 to $45 per linear foot, including plants and labor for its general benchmark. A 50-foot project models at $500 to $2,250, with a midpoint of $1,375, or $27.50 per foot.

A useful worked DIY plant total is 20 Green Velvet boxwoods at the current 1-gallon price of $29.50. The plants total $590. The Tree Center currently offers free delivery on qualifying orders over $299, so a qualifying order could avoid a separate shipping charge. Site preparation, mulch, irrigation, and the homeowner’s time remain outside that $590 plant-only figure.

Installation and Maintenance

Professional installation is most economical when several shrubs are planted together. A contractor can prepare the bed, lay out spacing, dig multiple holes, handle soil and mulch, and clean up in one visit. Rocky soil, roots, grading, drainage correction, irrigation changes, and access for larger plants can raise the quote.

Maintenance should not be budgeted as a fixed $100 to $500 per plant per year. Current HomeGuide trimming data puts ordinary shrub trimming around $5 to $20 per bush. A 20-shrub hedge models at $100 to $400 for one professional trimming visit. A heavily manicured formal hedge can require more labor than a group of naturally shaped shrubs.

Boxwoods also do not need an automatic annual fertilizer budget. University Extension guidance recommends fertilizing when a laboratory soil test shows a nutrient deficiency rather than applying fertilizer by routine. Watering and mulch matter more during establishment, while irrigation expense depends on climate and the existing irrigation system.

The Hidden Price: Blight and Pests

The cheapest boxwood can become expensive if the cultivar or planting conditions increase disease pressure. University of Maryland Extension’s August 2026 boxwood guidance recommends well-drained soil, some afternoon shade, limited mulch depth, and disease-resistant cultivars where boxwood blight is a concern. It lists the New Gen series, Green Beauty, and Nana among examples with resistance to boxwood blight.

That disease-resistance choice does not necessarily carry a huge retail premium. Green Beauty boxwood currently costs $39.50 for 1 gallon and $119.50 for 5 gallons. Twenty 1-gallon Green Beauty plants cost $790. Replacing just five lost plants at the same current price would add another $197.50 before removal and labor.

Box tree moth is another current risk in parts of the United States. Maryland Extension reported in August 2026 that the invasive pest had been found in several states and can heavily defoliate boxwoods. Buyers in affected regions should check local extension or agriculture guidance instead of assuming a brown or thinning boxwood only needs fertilizer.

Pruning technique matters too. Extension guidance favors thinning, which opens the plant to light and air. Routine tight shearing creates dense foliage and can increase disease pressure. Formal topiary is a special case where a tightly clipped appearance is the purpose of the planting.

When Boxwood Makes Sense

Makes sense if:

• You want evergreen structure, edging, foundation planting, or a formal hedge.
• You choose a cultivar whose mature size fits the intended height and width.
• The site drains well and the plant is suited to the local climate.
• You can buy enough plants at once to benefit from bulk or project pricing.
• You check disease resistance and local box tree moth risk before planting a large hedge.

Does not make sense if:

• The planting site stays wet or drains poorly.
• You are buying an expensive large container solely because you expect the plant to be a different species or “older quality.”
• The design requires constant hard shearing to keep a naturally large cultivar in a tiny space.
• A serious boxwood disease or pest is active locally and a less susceptible hedge species fits the same design goal.

What We Verified

• Checked current Home Depot pricing for 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwood at $17.98 and the 40-pack at $445.74.
• Confirmed current American, English, Green Velvet, Korean, Japanese, and other boxwood pricing against The Tree Center’s live 2026 catalog.
• Cross-referenced professional hedge installation and shrub-trimming costs against 2026 landscaping cost data.
• Verified that Buxus sempervirens is not North American native using North Carolina State Extension.
• Checked current boxwood blight, box tree moth, pruning, fertilization, watering, and resistant-cultivar guidance against University of Maryland Extension’s August 2026 update.

Related Garden Costs

Boxwoods are usually bought as shrubs rather than trees, but larger garden projects often combine both. Our lemon tree cost guide covers a fruit-tree purchase with a very different climate and maintenance profile.

For larger evergreen structure, compare the cost of pine trees. Buyers planning a long-lived shade or specimen planting can also compare current oak tree prices. Plant size, delivery, access, and professional installation become much larger cost drivers as the material gets heavier.

Answers to Common Questions

How much does one boxwood shrub cost?

Most common container-grown boxwoods currently cost about $18 to $120 each. Larger 5- to 7-gallon examples can reach roughly $90 to $150, while specialty specimens can cost more.

How much do boxwoods cost for a hedge?

The plant bill depends on count and starting size. Ten current 1-gallon Wintergreen boxwoods cost about $179.80, while a 40-pack costs $445.74. General professional hedge installation currently runs about $10 to $45 per linear foot.

Are larger boxwoods worth the extra cost?

Larger containers create a fuller look sooner but can multiply the plant budget. Ten current 1-gallon American boxwoods cost $295, while ten 5-gallon plants cost $1,095. The difference is $800 before installation.

How much does professional boxwood trimming cost?

Current general shrub-trimming data is about $5 to $20 per bush. Twenty shrubs model at $100 to $400 for one trimming visit. Formal hedges and topiary can cost more because shaping takes additional time.

Do boxwoods need fertilizer every year?

No. Current University Extension guidance says boxwoods do not need routine fertilization when a laboratory soil test does not show a nutrient deficiency. Poor color can also come from roots, soil pH, water stress, disease, or pests rather than lack of fertilizer.