How to Trim a Japanese Boxwood into a Tree Shape

Trim all trunks to the ground with pruning shears except for the three or four heartiest ones. This should be done when the Japanese boxwood is about 1 year old. The healthy trunks left standing will serve as the tree’s trunk.

Trim any lateral branches that are less than 4 feet from the ground. Any branches left below this point may result in a poorly shaped tree.

Discard any branches that grow inward or cross over other branches. These are high-maintenance. Leaving them will require you to shear your Japanese boxwood more often.

Uproot any new trunks that begin to form by pulling them up by hand when they first appear.

Maintain your tree’s shape and desired height. Once your tree has reached the desired height, trim the top and allow more branches to grow underneath the ornamental tree’s foliage.