Last updated on September 6th, 2021
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Add some complexity to your garden design with a topiary or two – and make it no-maintenance by choosing artificial boxwood topiary trees. Choose from traditional designs such as globe or spiral trees or more contemporary styles which mix these elements. We review the best artificial boxwood topiary in a variety of sizes in spiral, globe and speciality designs, listing their pros and cons.
All of the models in this review are worthy of your attention and your choice comes down to the size and style of topiary that suits your garden landscape style.
Our Buyer’s Guide covers the few features that may cause you a problem in choosing the best artificial trees for you.
BEST SPIRAL STYLE PICK
BEST GLOBE STYLE PICK
BEST SPECIALITY STYLE PICK
Best Artificial Boxwood Topiaries Review
Spiral Style
The spiral topiary is one of the most classic styles. It looks like the tree is trained around a central core when in fact it’s cut diagonally to leave gaps between the overall foliage. Artificial spiral topiaries mimic this by wrapping lengths of foliage around a central metal core covered with artificial vines or thin branches.
All the plastic used in the trees in this section is waterproof and has been treated to be UV-resistant so that the colour fades more slowly and the plastic remains supple for longer.
1. Greenbrokers Artificial Spiral Boxwood Topiary Trees 4ft/120cm (Set of 2)
BEST PICK
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This 120cm Greenbrokers spiral boxwood topiary comes in a set of two. Each tree is encased in cement in a black plastic pot but can easily be removed if you want to “transplant” it into a more attractive and stable container.
Pros
- Set of two artificial spiral boxwood trees, 120cm high from the bottom of the pot.
- Plastic foliage spiralled around a metal pole core that’s hidden by the foliage.
- UV protected from harmful rays that fade colour and make plastic brittle.
- Comes in a black plastic pot with concrete filling.
- Dimensions: 20cm (pot diameter); 20cm pot (height); 30cm (tree width) and 125cm (height).
Cons
- Unstable in small included pot.
Need some artificial hanging baskets to complement your box topiary? – I reviewed some of the best artificial hanging basket examples in this guide here
2. BPIL 3ft Artificial Spiral Twist Topiary Tree (single)
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For a slightly shorter artificial boxwood topiary, look to the BPIL 3ft Artificial Spiral Twist Topiary Tree. This single tree comes in a plastic pot with an antique bronze finish that adds an element of age to the whole appearance. A pair of trees is also available at some cost savings at the time I did this review.
Pros
- Spiral twist artificial boxwood tree.
- Foliage is plastic and has been treated to be resistant to UV-rays.
- Comes in a plastic pot with an antiqued bronze finish.
- Dimensions: unknown
Cons
- Tree is 90cm tall including the pot.
3. GreenBrokers 2 x Artificial Topiary Boxwood Spiral Trees (5ft/150cm)
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This set of two GreenBrokers Artificial Topiary Boxwood Spiral Trees is the same as our Best Pick in this section – but taller. At 150cm, these are the tallest artificial boxwood topiary trees that we have found. They come in a slightly larger black pot that’s still too small to safely hold this tree up.
Pros
- Set of two artificial spiral boxwood trees 150cm high from bottom of pot.
- Plastic foliage spiralled around a metal pole core that’s covered in plastic vines in the exposed parts.
- UV protected from harmful rays to slow colour fading and the plastic becoming brittle.
- Comes in a black plastic pot with concrete filling.
- Dimensions: 30cm (tree width) and 150cm (height tree plus pot); 30cm (diameter pot); 20cm (height pot).
Cons
- Tree is too large to be stable in the included pot.
Read next – Looking for artificial topiary that resembles conifers or bay trees? check out this guide here
Ball or Globe Style
Within the topiary world, the ball style is officially known as the globe. This is one of the original trimmed styles and is still popular today. The globes in these artificial boxwood topiaries are placed on a tree trunk which is sometimes made of real wood. There may also be decorative branches and vines in view as well. As before, all the plastics used here are treated to be UV-resistant and they’re naturally waterproof.
4. GreenBrokers Triple Ball Artificial Boxwood Topiary Trees 4ft/120cm (Pack of 2)
BEST PICK
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Each tree in the two-pack of the GreenBrokers Triple Ball Artificial Boxwood Topiary Tree boasts three topiary globes in graduated sizes. The largest ball is on the bottom rising to the smallest ball at the top. As with all Greenbrokers topiaries, this one comes in a black plastic pot and can be removed from there to put into more attractive housing.
Pros
- Set of two artificial boxwood trees with three globe balls in different sizes on a trunk.
- Foliage is plastic in green.
- Comes in black plastic pot filled with cement for stability.
- UV-protected as fade-resistant and is naturally mold resistant too.
- Dimensions: 29cm (diameter lowest ball); 25cm (diameter middle ball), 19cm (diameter top ball); and 120cm (height of tree).
Cons
- Black plastic pot is flimsy and brittle.
5. Closer2Nature Artificial 2ft Boxwood Tree Topiary in a Decorative Black Pot
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Unlike all the other topiaries in our review, the Closer2Nature Artificial 2ft Boxwood Tree Topiary has foliage made of a blend of silk and polyester. This gives a more natural look and feel to the tree, especially alongside the tree trunk that’s of real wood. The black plastic pot the tree comes in is taller and more stylish than any other we review. However, the tree is difficult to take out of the pot so you may need to put the whole thing into a large container if you want to house it in something different.
Pros
- Single globe ball boxwood topiary with leaves that are botanically accurate.
- Foliage is a silk and polyester blend and placed on a tree trunk of real wood.
- Withstands the different weather conditions when placed outdoors, including UV-rays.
- Tall and stylish black plastic pot included.
- Dimensions: 11cm (diameter if ball); 61cm (height of tree); 15cm (width and length of pot at bottom) and 9cm (width and length of pot at top).
Cons
- Difficult to get the tree out of the pot.
6. Outsunny Set of 2 Artificial Boxwood Ball Topiary Trees
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The Outsunny Set of 2 Artificial Boxwood Ball Topiary Trees has two globes per tree, with the largest globe being the lowest one on each tree trunk. The 67cm high (including pot) trees come in the usual concrete-weighted black pot.
Pros
- Set of two artificial boxwood topiaries each with two globes on a tree trunk.
- Foliage globes are of different sizes, with the lowest one being the largest.
- Foliage and tree trunk are made of polyethylene (plastic).
- Comes in a black plastic plant pot weighted with cement for stability.
- Dimensions: 67cm (height including the pot); 23cm (tree width); 15cm (pot height) and 17cm (pot diameter).
Speciality styles
In our speciality section, we’ve included artificial boxwood topiary designs that mix the two classic elements we review above, plus others that just do something new. As always, all plastic foliage here is UV-protected and waterproof.
7. ECOOPTS Artificial Boxwood Tree Buxus Tower
BEST PICK
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Coming in with a totally different yet still classic shape is the ECOOPTS Artificial Boxwood Tree Buxus Tower. This tower, officially known as the obelisk, is made of polyethylene foliage with a wide base that tapers to a rounded top. The foliage is wrapped around a wireframe so you can put decorations easily on this tree. This ECOOPTS tree is 65cms high, and that’s its true height as it comes without a pot to count in the measurement.
Pros
- Artificial boxwood topiary tower that’s genuinely 65cm tall.
- Plastic polyethylene foliage shape tapers from a wide base to a rounded top.
- Has maximum protection from UV-rays that makes it fade resistant and mildew and mould resistant.
- Foliage is wrapped on a plastic wireframe.
- Dimensions: 65cms (height) and 25cm (wide).
8. Admired by Nature 3ft. Artificial Boxwood Leave Double Ball-Shaped Topiary, Two-tone
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This 3ft. Admired by Nature boxwood tree brings together two classic topiary shapes – the globe (on the bottom) and the cone (above) – for a more contemporary look. The plastic foliage is in two shades of green for a more natural look, though some online reviewers state that it comes out as more yellow/brown.
Please note that, at the time of publication (June 2021), the set of two trees available from this manufacturer costs more than buying two single trees.
Pros
- Artificial boxwood tree with plastic foliage in two shades of green for a more natural look.
- The lower shape is a ball and the upper shape is a teardrop.
- Foliage shapes are the classics – the globe and the cone.
- Comes in a green plastic pot with some artificial vines.
- Dimensions: 91.5cm (height of tree and pot); 25cm (width of tree); and 15cm (height and diameter of pot).
Cons
- The Colour is more yellow/brown than green.
- Need to weight the pot so it doesn’t fall over.
Buyer’s Guide
There’s really not that much to know about buying an artificial boxwood topiary but here are some features that may just trip you up.
Size
Size is always a problem when buying items online but especially so here. And that’s because, in most cases, the height given for the tree includes the height of the pot. And as all but one of the topiaries in our review comes with some form of pot, if you plan on “transplanting” the tree to another container, you find that the actual height of the green bit is much shorter than you expected.
The exception here is the ECOOPTS Artificial Boxwood Tree Buxus Tower which doesn’t have a pot.
The Pot
Many of the topiaries we review come in very similar flimsy plastic pots which may be filled with concrete to weigh them down. Online reviewers recommend removing the topiaries from these pots and putting them into your own containers, along with heavy material to weigh the container down.
Remove the tree from the original plastic pot. Fill the bottom of the new container with stones or rocks and put the tree in. Surround the tree with a material that can be compacted (e.g. soil or sand) and pack everything down hard. You may also want to put some artificial moss or something similar on the top for aesthetics.
Material
Only one of the topiaries we recommend is not made from some form of plastic. Plastic is naturally waterproof and mould- and rot-resistant. It’s usually treated with a UV-protection coating as these rays can fade colour quickly and make the plastic brittle and crack. But, plastic will always feel like plastic.
The exception in this review is the Closer2Nature Artificial 2ft Boxwood Tree Topiary with a single globe. A fabric blend of silk and polyester used for the leaves gives a softer look and feel to the tree and a more natural appearance. The manufacturer states that this tree withstands all outside weather, including those harmful UV rays. But it’s not as durable as plastic.
Final Conclusion
Artificial boxwood topiaries add style and complexity to your garden landscape (or indoor décor) with no effort from you beyond their initial purchase and placement, and perhaps the occasional dusting. Even then, your only purchase decisions are the size of the topiary tree and its shape. Our review offers you a range of sizes to choose from and a wide selection of traditional and contemporary shapes. Buy one, several or many of these eye-catching to highlight your own personal outdoors design statement.
If you are interested in non-artificial boxwood topiary, look at our articles on When and How to Trim Buxus and How to Plant and Grow Buxus Topiary and Hedges.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
