Buxus humbertii (Humbert's box; Madagascar endemic) Buxus itremoensis (Madagascar endemic) Buxus lisowskii (Congo) Buxus macowanii (Cape box; eastern and northern South Africa) Buxus macrocarpa (Madagascar endemic) Buxus madagascarica (Madagascan box; Madagascar, Comoros) Buxus monticola (Madagascar endemic) Buxus moratii (Madagascar, Comoros) Buxus natalensis (Natal box; eastern South Africa; syn. Notobuxus natalensis) Buxus nyasica (Malawi) Buxus obtusifolia (eastern Africa; syn. Notobuxus obtusifolia) Buxus rabenantoandroi (Madagascar endemic; syn. B. angustifolia GE Schatz & Lowry non Mill.) Americas Buxus aneura (Cuba) Buxus arborea (Jamaica) Buxus bartletii (Central America) Buxus brevipes (Cuba) Buxus citrifolia (Venezuela) Buxus crassifolia (Cuba) Buxus ekmanii (Cuba) Buxus excisa (Cuba) Buxus heterophylla (Cuba) Buxus imbricata (Cuba) Buxus lancifolia (Mexico) Buxus macrophylla (Central America) Buxus mexicana (Mexico) Buxus muelleriana (Cuba) Buxus olivacea (Cuba) Buxus pilosula (Cuba) Buxus portoricensis (Puerto Rico) Buxus pubescens (Mexico) Buxus rheedioides (Cuba) Buxus vahlii (Vahl's box or smooth box; Puerto Rico; syn. B. laevigata) Selected cultivars [[Buxus 'Green Velvet'|Buxus 'Green Velvet' ]] Buxus microphylla var. koreana 'Winter Gem' Uses Cultivation Box plants are commonly grown as hedges and for topiary. In Britain and mainland Europe, box is subject to damage from caterpillars ofCydalima perspectalis which can devastate a box hedge within a short time. This is a recently introduced species first noticed in Europe in 2007 and in the UK in 2008 but spreading. There were 3 UK reports of infestation in 2011, 20 in 2014 and 150 in the first half of 2015. Wood carving Owing to its fine grain it is a good wood for fine wood carving, although this is limited by the small sizes available. It is also resistant to splitting and chipping, and thus useful for decorative or storage boxes. Formerly, it was used for wooden combs. As a timber or wood for carving it is "boxwood" in all varieties of English. Owing to the relatively high density of the wood, boxwood is often used for chess pieces; unstained boxwood for the white pieces, and stained ('ebonized') boxwood for the black pieces in lieu of ebony. The extremely fine endgrain of box makes it suitable for woodblock printing and woodcut blocks, for which it was the usual material in Europe. In the 16th century, boxwood was used to create intricate decorative carvings, including intricate rosary prayer beads. As of 2016, the largest collection of these carvings is at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. High quality wooden spoons have usually been carved