Our guides show you how to master shaping boxwood – with practical tips for cutting a range of shapes.
21.11.2025
The best time to shape a boxwood is during the growing season from May to the end of August.
The easiest way to shape a boxwood is with battery hedge trimmers or shrub shears, plus sharp secateurs for precision work. Keep in mind: the more delicately you wish to shape the box bush, the shorter your shears should be.
How often you should trim a box bush depends on the shape you want. With simple shapes, such as a ball or pyramid, trimming once or twice a year is sufficient, while elaborate animal figures will only remain detailed and in shape with frequent cutting. Boxwood can be trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks in such cases.
Yes, a box bush can be radically pruned and even tolerates cuts into older wood, which will sprout again. This type of pruning should be carried out in February or March.
Yes, the leaves and fruits of box are toxic to people as well as pets such as dogs and cats, due to buxus alkaloids. Particular care should be taken with children, as their lower body weight means a dangerous dose is more quickly reached.
The box tree caterpillar and fungal box blight can destroy your bushes without proper treatment. Various other hedge diseases also damage boxwood. However, improper cutting with old, rusty and blunt tools is also capable of destroying a box bush.
Ball, cone or spiral – cutting box bushes (Buxus sempervirens) into shapes has long been popular. Topiary, the art of cutting trees and shrubs into shapes, enhances gardens and terraces. Cutting into shapes is also a popular approach in hedge trimming.
Alongside shaping cuts, it is recommended to regularly prune bush plants that have already been cut into shape to ensure that they look well-maintained. In the following videos, you will learn how to cut your box bush into shape.
There are many other beautiful ways to cut your box bush. And as well as box, some other plants are also suitable for shaping – for example, you can also cut a cypress artistically.
To cut a boxwood pyramid, first construct a suitable frame from wire. Place this over your box bush and cut off any stems that grow beyond the wire outline.
A boxwood can be cut into a cone shape with the help of a homemade cutting aid. Bamboo rods can be used as a frame to make a cone shape, tied together with wire or cable ties at the tip, like a tent.
Snails, peacocks, squirrels and more – boxwood animal figures make a striking artistic feature in the garden and are guaranteed not to be overlooked. However, cutting animal figures is a more advanced project that requires a lot of time and skill.
Beware of poisonous hedges
Boxwood, like some other shrubs and hedges, is poisonous. So some caution is required, especially in households with children or pets.
When forming and maintaining your boxwood, make sure you wear suitable protective clothing and use gloves when disposing of the cuttings.
There are a few helpful tips to help you ensure boxwood pruning success and enjoy well-cared-for plants in your garden.
To promote strong growth, you should trim your box bushes during the growing season from May to the end of August. Depending on how vigorous growth is, already-shaped topiary may also need to be pruned two to three times a year – first in May, then at the end of June and again in August. With regular trimming and boxwood care, it is sure to delight you for a long time to come.
An overcast day is best for pruning a box bush. Rain can cause the cuts to start rotting, while bright sunlight can burn newly exposed leaves that are not used to light and cause them to go brown.
First cut off only a small amount of the new growth before moving towards the desired shape with deeper cuts. As boxwood is very cut-tolerant and always regrows, it is possible to cut into previous-year wood – but you must expect unsightly bare spots until the box has sent out new shoots again.
An old, neglected box bush is best rescued by cutting it back hard: to around 1 metre for individual plants and a maximum of 10 centimetres for the leafy stems. This can be done with pruning shears or a saw. February and March are ideal months for pruning.
When cutting a boxwood hedge, you should aim for a trapezoidal shape so that the cross-section resembles an A. This way, sunlight also reaches the lower part of the hedge so you avoid brown spots.
After shaping your boxwood, always look at your work again from a distance to see if there are any outliers. Shake the plant to remove any cuttings that could obstruct your view and remove any remaining outlying stems.
To collect the cuttings easily, it is best to lay out a sheet before cutting. You can then shred and compost the cuttings. If you want to sustainably reuse your garden waste, you can plant the cuttings in damp soil and let them root. This will eventually give you more box bushes.
It is important to generously fertilise box bushes after pruning. Nitrogen and potassium are the best fertilisers for boxwood. A dose of well-rotted compost and bonemeal in spring is usually enough for evergreen boxwood. Alternatively, you can use organic green plant fertiliser.
Wire frame, template or freehand – there are various approaches to shaping your boxwood. Here are three of them:
Using a wire frame, you can shape a boxwood tree that has not previously been cut into the desired shape. Making your own boxwood template is very useful for recutting geometric shapes, such as a ball. Freehand shaping is only suitable for people who have extensive cutting experience, or for smaller correction cuts.
Good tools are indispensable for successful shaping. Our STIHL battery shrub shears and secateurs developed for professionals will help you get any box bush beautifully into shape.
The tools are comfortable to hold and ideal for precise, demanding work when shaping box bushes. Larger shrub shears are also good for coarse shaping, while handy secateurs are more suitable for fine work.
Is shaping box bushes permitted all year round? The Federal Nature Conservation Act prohibits major pruning of hedges for the period between 1 March and 30 September. You must not cut back bushes or other shrubs during this time. Minor maintenance and shaping cuts are permitted and environmentally harmless, provided that no birds are nesting in the plant. You can also find out more about the right time to prune in the article When can you trim hedges?.
