I just had to cut two Box (hedge) plants down to the stumps. They got attacked by Box Caterpillars (Cydalima perspectalis). It was surprising how quickly the plants got to look awful. Far from decorative so the entire plants had to go. The roots aren’t affected so maybe they will start to grow again next year. Disappointing because we’ve had the plants for many years without any trouble.
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@mart Oh dear Mart 
my son has lots of box hedging, I hope the caterpillars are not heading this way…
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Even caterpillars have to eat!
And they do metamorphose into rather lovely moths.
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This is what the caterpillars look like (they are creeping out of the bin where the cuttings are and making their escape).
This is a cutting from the plant. At first I thought it might be blight but since the plants were infested with these caterpillars, I’ve put it down to that. I’ve been reading that it can be a common problem these days with Box. I’ll have some protection ready to use if the plants start to grow again next year. No point this year because the plants are chopped right back.
I had my box hedge eaten as well, but let me say, they do recover, I never knew that, until on my walks, neighbours left theirs in and before you know it, they grew back, not saying everyone will though.
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I’ll give it another Springtime to see if it comes back. Those little caterpillars got everywhere. I’ll never know how one got onto the washing that was hanging on the line nearby. It must have been very athletic. 
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I understand that if treated correctly it will grow again. the RHS has a lot of info on their web site.
We have the naturally wild Box Hedges here in France… that is in fact they grow into tall trees.
We have them in the garden, and got the chain saw to one in particular ,that was close to a Large Workshop and causing the workshop to be too dark…
It was diseased, which is the 1st reason it had to be cut down…
We have many wild box plants growing around that same area now and I have moved some to pots as well.
…Not sure if they are wanted by gardeners here or not…something to find out as they are all spares.
![box tree|640x480, 75%]
2nd photo is of the box tree we cut down…was huge, as you can see by the trunk…
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