Pachysandra (Japanese spurge)

About Pachysandra (Japanese spurge)

Japanese pachysandra is a low evergreen groundcover for shade that spreads by rhizomes into a solid carpet. It spreads aggressively and is hard to remove once settled (NC State), and the Morton Arboretum also warns it may grow aggressively. The native Allegheny spurge (P. procumbens) is a slower, non-invasive choice with fragrant pink-white spring flowers (NC State).

Japanese pachysandra zones 4-9 (NC State). It spreads aggressively and is hard to get rid of; NC State suggests the native Allegheny spurge instead.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Set plants 6-12 inches apart; a groundcover takes about 3 years to fill in (NC State). Plant in shade out of winter sun and wind, which burn the leaves where snow cover is thin (Morton Arboretum).

Soil

Moist, well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter; it takes alkaline soil, but leaves bleach in sun or wind (NC State, Morton Arboretum).

Moist, well-drained, acidic soil rich in organic matter (NC State).

Feeding

Keep new beds watered; it does not tolerate drought (Morton Arboretum). Avoid overhead watering and thin crowded beds to slow leaf blight (NC State).

Varieties (4)

NC State and the Morton Arboretum document these; the native Allegheny spurge has no named cultivars in our sources.

Pests to watch for

Euonymus scale

Diseases and problems

Volutella blight, Root rot, Boxwood blight

In the kitchen

Pets: Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA.