It thrives best in moist soil and partial shade, but it also tolerates dry environments and urban air well. It is winter-hardy in Hungary.
Its flowers bloom in April–May. Gardeners like it for its many good qualities: it is evergreen and winter-hardy, tolerates pruning and shaping extremely well, has dense foliage, and is not too demanding.
Although it grows very slowly, it is most often trimmed into hedges. It can also be used in other ways, for example, in French gardens, where it is often trimmed into various shapes.
Its shoots are used in floristry. It is extremely sensitive to pests, and protection against box tree moths is necessary. An alternative is the globe yew.
