Soft Touch Holly vs Boxwood: What Are The Differences?

Written by Hannah Ward
Published: October 1, 2022
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Soft touch holly and boxwood are popular evergreen shrubs that are widely known worldwide for being easy to grow and maintain. Boxwood is one of the earliest garden plants and dates back to 4,000BC, while soft-touch holly is a cultivar of the popular Japanese holly. Both plants have a similar appearance, especially when grown and kept for ornamental purposes. However, they are not entirely the same when we look closer at them. Therefore, we’ll explain everything you need to know about soft touch holly vs. boxwood, so you know exactly which plant is right for you!

Comparing Boxwood vs. Soft Touch Holly

Boxwood

Boxwoods are native to

Africa

, Asia, Europe, and the Americas and are capable of surviving in a wide variety of different habitats.

©iStock.com/Thomas Stockhausen

BoxwoodSoft Touch Holly
ClassificationBuxusIlex crenata “Soft touch”
OriginAfrica, Asia, Europe, and the AmericasAsia, Japan
Size6.5 to 39 feetHeight – 2 to 3 feet
Width – 2 to 3 feet
Leaves0.5 to 1.5 inches, medium green, oval0.5 to 1.25 inches, oval, soft texture, glossy, dark green
FlowersSmall, yellowish-greenSmall, white
FruitBrownBlack

The 5 Key Differences Between Soft Touch Holly and Boxwood

The main differences between soft touch holly and boxwood are their size and the color of their flowers and berries. Boxwood is typically much larger than soft touch holly and has slightly bigger leaves. The other differences include where they are native and how they are classified.

Soft Touch Holly vs. Boxwood: Classification

Soft Touch Holly

Japanese holly is a member of the

Aquifoliaceae

 family, commonly known as the holly family.

©Nahhana/Shutterstock.com

The first difference between soft touch holly and boxwood is how they are classified. Boxwood is not an individual plant. Instead, “boxwood” is the common name of plants in the Buxus genus. Buxus is a member of the Buxaceae family group, known as the box family. There are approximately 70 species of boxwood, although, with the various cultivars, there are around 150 different types. Boxwoods are native to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas and are capable of surviving in a wide variety of different habitats.

Soft touch holly is a cultivar of the Japanese holly (Ilex crenata). Japanese holly is a member of the Aquifoliaceae family, commonly known as the holly family. There are approximately 560 species in the holly family, and they occur in various habitats worldwide – from tropical to temperate.

Soft Touch Holly vs. Boxwood: Size

Boxwood

Although boxwood can be grown as ornamental shrubs, its natural size is 6.5 to 39 feet high.

©iStock.com/Akchamczuk

The first of the noticeable differences between these two plants is their size. Although boxwood can be grown as ornamental shrubs, its natural size is 6.5 to 39 feet high. In comparison, soft touch holly is much, much smaller. Soft touch holly only reaches the diminutive size of 2 to 3 feet high with a width the same.

Soft Touch Holly vs. Boxwood: Leaves

Soft Touch Holly

Although many types of holly have the signature prickly leaves, these sharp edges are absent on soft touch holly.

©Traveller70/Shutterstock.com

Although both soft touch holly and boxwood are evergreen plants – meaning their leaves are retained and remain green all year round – they still manage to look different. Boxwood has oval-shaped leaves which are 0.5 to 1.5 inches long. It has dense foliage, and its leaves are a medium green color. However, they can sometimes take on a slightly yellowish appearance during the fall and winter months.

Soft touch holly also has oval-shaped leaves, which are similar in size – 0.5 to 1.25 inches long. However, they are a dark, glossy green color. Although many types of holly have the signature prickly leaves, these sharp edges are absent on soft touch holly. Instead, it gets its name from its soft-textured leaves.

Soft Touch Holly vs. Boxwood: Flowers

japanese holly vs boxwood

Boxwoods are monoecious, which means that they produce male and female flowers on the same plant.

©Antoniya Kadiyska/Shutterstock.com

The best way to identify soft touch holly and boxwood when they bloom is to look at their flowers. Boxwoods are monoecious, which means that they produce male and female flowers on the same plant. Boxwood flowers are small and are a yellowish-green color. They develop as a single female flower surrounded by as many as six male flowers. Boxwood flowers lack petals and tend to blend in with the plant, which is why they are often described as “insignificant.”

Soft touch holly also produces small flowers, which are white rather than yellowish-green. One of the most important things to note about this plant is that it is dioecious – meaning that it produces male and female flowers on separate plants rather than the same one. The flowers on the male plant produce the pollen that is needed to pollinate the female plant so that it can produce berries.

Soft Touch Holly vs. Boxwood: Fruit

Soft Touch Holly

Evergreen round spherical Ilex crenata Convexa or Japanese Holly shrub with small glossy leaves on the background of a rocky mulched bed

©Helen Pitt/Shutterstock.com

Following on from the point above, only female soft touch holly plants produce berries. However, they only produce berries if a male plant is nearby to pollinate them. Soft touch holly produces small, black berries approximately 1/4” in diameter. Although birds frequently eat these berries, they are poisonous to humans and many other animals – including cats and dogs. This is because they contain the toxin known as “ilicin.” In fact, eating even a few small berries can make you feel seriously unwell.

The best way to describe the fruit produced by boxwoods is the same as their flowers – small and insignificant. They tend to be incredibly small and are a dull brown color which is unremarkable to look at. However, unlike soft touch holly, virtually all boxwood plants produce fruit. This is because they produce male and female flowers on the same plant. After fertilization, boxwoods develop three-chambered capsules, which are approximately 1/3” in diameter. These are green when they are immature but turn brown as they mature. Upon maturity, they open up to reveal shiny black seeds. Again, although birds frequently eat them, they are poisonous to humans.

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About the Author

Hannah is a writer at A-Z animals where her primary focus is on reptiles, marine life, mammals, and geography. Hannah has been writing and researching animals for four years alongside running her family farm. A resident of the UK, Hannah loves riding horses and creating short stories.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

How hardy are soft touch holly and boxwoods?

Both soft touch holly and boxwoods are best suited to zones 5 to 9. Both plants are very tolerant of a wide range of soil types and grow well in a variety of conditions.

How long do soft touch holly and boxwood live for?

Boxwoods typically live for 20 to 30 years. However, holly has a much longer lifespan. Soft touch holly can easily live in excess of 50 to 60 years. Some species of holly can even live for up to 100 years!

Are soft touch holly and boxwood easy to grow?

Yes! Both plants are very easy to grow and maintain which is why they are some of the most popular ornamental plants around.

What maintenance do boxwood and dwarf yaupon holly require?

Neither plant requires much maintenance to survive, and the amount of maintenance that they require really depends on how you would like them to look and where you have them planted. Boxwoods are the perfect choice if you are looking for something to take on the role of a formal bush. The amount of pruning that they require depends on the size and shape that you require, but they cope great with regular pruning and can be trimmed into virtually any shape.

Soft touch holly naturally grows into a nicely rounded shape – virtually as wide as it is tall. They are the perfect choice for a low hedge or border and require very little maintenance. The best time to prune them is during the winter and spring to remove any dead or damaged leaves. Pruning during the summer is not recommended as it can stunt the production of the berries.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. Hearst, Available here: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-soft-touch-holly-74873.html
  2. The Go Botany project, Available here: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/ilex/crenata/
  3. Upgraded Home, Available here: https://upgradedhome.com/soft-touch-holly-vs-boxwood/