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Boxtree Caterpillar – Is This the End for Traditional Box Topiary?
Box topiary has a special place in the hearts of many gardeners. It’s been used to create elaborate landscapes for centuries. For many modern gardeners, there’s something exciting and alluring about having some closely clipped box topiary in the garden, whether it’s a couple of standard spirals to frame the front door, a low box hedge or even an intricate knot garden. A few years ago we all began battling blight, but there’s a new hazard and something we might not being able to come back from; box tree caterpillar.
Box Tree Caterpillar; destroying plants across the country.
These critters are a relatively new pest, having only appeared on UK shores in 2008, and then caterpillars appearing in people’s gardens during 2011. This causes an issue; there’s not a lot of treatment other than painstakingly picking them off. You can utilise pheromones in an attempt to deter the adult moths themselves, but it’s not 100% effective. And, though general purpose insecticides can be used plants need a thorough dousing. And there’s the further question….should they be used when they do so much damage?
Caterpillars don’t actually destroy a box tree plant, but defoliate it extremely quickly; you only need turn your back for a week and a plant is ruined. With box being slow growing, not to mention expensive, you can watch your beautiful standard lollipop or cone disintegrate into nothing more than a few dried brown sticks covered in webbing and larval faeces. Nice – not.
Under a week’s worth of damage to this starter box hedge.
Replacement is an option, of course. But it’s expensive. And if this becomes an annual issue, is there any point? Almost every single one of my London-based clients has lost some of their box this year, and the problem is spreading. To that end, it’s worth considering alternatives. Wisley, for example, are running a trial of other options. The beautiful RHS gardens hardly have any box tree anymore due to mounting growing issues. And this seems likely to be a trend for both estate and back gardens across the UK.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the end for topiary, but perhaps does spell doom for our traditional box. It’s sad, but could prove beneficial in the long run particularly for gardeners’ wallets if substitute plants are more affordable. To see the full damage – and the little blighters themselves – I popped a video up at Brimwood Farm.
Thoughts? Have you tried alternatives? Let me know!
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