rockm

"I am with Maria, I have also dug boxwood hedges, and had no problems. Just made sure I got a good chunk of the roots."

I can't really see the reason for the "I am with" part here. I said basically the same thing Maria did. The difference in my post has to do with the consiration of the plant's age. Don doesn't specify what "old" is. My definition of old is over 100 years, which complicates collection of any species.

I have dug very very old boxwood in the past and have noticed some issues that should be noted. Old boxwood plants don't have many feeder roots close in, and not many "superficial" roots to speak of within two feet of the trunk. Hence more care is needed with them to get as many feeder roots as possible. Even then re-rooting can be spotty. This can be avoided to some extent by digging such plants over a three year time frame, allowing it to regenerate a new root system without removing its old one all at once.

Older boxwood in North America are also under attack by a strange relatively new condition called "boxwood decline." This condition attacks older boxwood and kills them slowly. It's attacked box hedges at George Washington's Mt.Vernon in Va. and other historical sites here. The specific fungus or organism causing the disease is still being investigated, but it seems to be spreading. The condition may also affect collection in the Middle Atlantic states, so it's something to keep in mind.