# Oregon Boxwood (*Paxistima myrsinites*) The Oregon Boxwood is a small, evergreen shrub that stays green all year round. It has shiny leaves and can grow in different shapes, making it a lovely addition to gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Oregon Boxwood](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Paxistima_myrsinites_38584.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paxistima_myrsinites_38584.JPG) ## Appearance The Oregon Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with small, glossy, oval leaves that can turn reddish in winter. Its slender, often reddish stems create a dense, compact form. It produces tiny, inconspicuous greenish-red flowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Celastrales - **Family:** Celastraceae - **Genus:** Paxistima ## Interesting facts - Deer and elk often munch its evergreen leaves during snowy winters. - It can form dense, green carpets that prevent soil erosion! - Its tiny flowers look like mini green stars, easily missed! - Some call it "Mountain Lover" because it thrives high in rocky forests. ## Special abilities - **Winter Survivor:** Oregon Boxwood has tough, evergreen leaves that photosynthesize all year, helping it thrive even in cold seasons. - **Drought Defender:** Its small, leathery leaves help the Oregon Boxwood conserve water, allowing it to survive dry periods. - **Shade Seeker:** This plant can grow in dense forest understories, adapting to low light conditions where many others struggle. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Spread:** 50-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Early Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse its evergreen leaves, especially in winter. - **Eaten by:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — Elk also rely on its foliage as a winter food source. - **Eats:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — Black bears may nibble its small, inconspicuous fruits. - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Bumblebees visit its small flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Shelter:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Small mammals find safe cover within its dense, spreading branches. ## Traits - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching plants, as some can be prickly or cause allergies. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Oregon Boxwood? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Oregon Boxwood? 30-150 cm ### How wide does Oregon Boxwood spread? 50-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Oregon Boxwood? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Oregon Boxwood bloom? Late Spring to Early Summer ### Is Oregon Boxwood edible? No ### Is Oregon Boxwood toxic? None ### What is Oregon Boxwood's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chiricahua National Monument Historic Designed Landscape](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chiricahua-national-monument-historic-designed-landscape) — Arizona, US · National Park - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Bandelier CCC Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bandelier-ccc-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Geraldine Lucas Homestead-Fabian Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/geraldine-lucas-homestead-fabian-place-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Jenny Lake Boat Concession Facilities](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jenny-lake-boat-concession-facilities) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Jenny Lake Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jenny-lake-ranger-station-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District [View all places to see Oregon Boxwood](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/oregon-boxwood) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Oregon Boxwood: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oregon-boxwood)