Native to China and Taiwan, Korean boxwood has been a staple of East Asian garden design for centuries before finding its way into Western horticulture. The genus name Buxus comes from the Latin for wood or box, a nod both to the carved wooden boxes traditionally made from the timber and to the characteristic square young stems. In the garden, this species offers a greater span of adaptability than common boxwood, performing from zone 4 through zone 9 in a range of soils from sandy loam to clay, so long as drainage is reliable.

In warmer climates the deep green foliage holds steady through the seasons, but gardeners in colder zones should expect a bronzing of the leaves when hard frosts arrive. The cultivar Wintergreen was selected specifically for improved winter color in northern conditions. Left unpruned, the plant can eventually reach ten feet, though most gardeners will know it best as a compact, amenable shrub used for low hedges, rock gardens, or privacy screens. Its deer resistance and general toughness make it a low-demand plant with long-term structural value.