Pachysandra terminalis
Japanese pachysandra, Japanese spurge
- Height × spread
- 0.15m × 0.3m
- Position
- Part shade
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Flowers
- Spring
Availability
Generally available in late Spring & Autumn
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This good looking, ground-covering plant has whorls of leaves around the top of the stalks. These are olive-green and look attractive without being obtrusive. Small, round, spiky, white flowers, carrying a slight but pleasant fragrance appear in March and April. This is about as exciting as this plant gets but it makes a good, green carpet for a moist, shady site and works very well beneath mature trees and around shrubs.
- Flower colour
- White
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, sweet-vanilla
- Shape
- Dome
- Height
- 0.15m
- Spread
- 0.3m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Winter
- Flowers in
- Spring
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Winter garden, Shady court, Scented garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes part shade, likes light shade, tolerates dense shade
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil, Dry and shady soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.