Balearic boxwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Balearic boxwood |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Buxus
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| Species: |
balearica
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| Distribution range of Buxus balearica | |
Buxus balearica, often called the Balearic boxwood, is a type of shrub or small tree that stays green all year. It's a common plant in the Mediterranean forests. You can find it growing wild in countries like Algeria, Morocco, and Spain, and on the island of Sardinia.
What It Looks Like
The Balearic boxwood can grow up to three meters (about 10 feet) tall. Its leaves are a bit bigger than those of the common boxwood. They are oval-shaped and look shiny. Sometimes, the leaves might even have a reddish or yellowish color.
This plant blooms in the spring. You can grow new Balearic boxwood plants from its seeds or by taking cuttings (small pieces of the plant). Like many plants in the Mediterranean, it can grow back well after a fire.
Where It Grows
The Balearic boxwood grows in different places, but its groups of plants are often spread out.
In Spain
In Spain, you can find the Balearic boxwood in parts of eastern Andalusia and the Balearic Islands.
In eastern Andalusia, it grows in the provinces of Málaga and Granada. It's also found in the Province of Almería in a mountain area called the Sierra de Gádor.
In the Balearic Islands, you can see it in the Serra de Tramuntana mountains on Mallorca. It also grows on the Island of Cabrera. Sadly, it has disappeared from the island of Menorca.
In the Region of Murcia, this plant was once seen in 1943. However, it is now thought to be gone from that area.
Overall, in Spain, the Balearic boxwood is listed as "near threatened" on the IUCN Red List. This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it. In eastern Andalusia, it's considered "vulnerable".
In Africa
In Morocco, the Balearic boxwood can be found in the Rif mountains, specifically in the Talassemtane National Park.
About Its Name
The scientific name Buxus balearica was first described by a scientist named Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1785.
The name Buxus comes from an old Greek word for boxwood. The word balearica tells us that the plant is found in the Balearic Islands.
See also
In Spanish: Buxus balearica para niños
