Boxwood is an evergreen shrub that belongs to the box family. There are around 70 species of boxwood that grow natively in Europe, Asia, Africa, Madagascar and parts of South, Central and North America. Majority of boxwood species originate from areas with tropical and subtropical climate. Boxwood grows on moist, loamy, well-drained soil, in the partial shade (it tolerates full sun in areas with cold climate). There are hundreds of cultivars of boxwood, but only few of them are cultivated as ornamental plants in the gardens around the world.