Future Plants by Randy Stewart: Pachysandra

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Pachysandra

A deer resistant genus of mostly evergreen tough, deer resistant groundcovers.

Pachysandra procumbens ( Alleghany Pachysandra )
A moderate growing, dense, spreading, semi-evergreen groundcover native to rich woodlands in the southeast U.S. ( far southern Illinois & Kentucky; south to Louisiana to far northern Florida ), reaching up to 1 x 6 feet.
The whorled, toothed, broadly-oval leaves are up to 6 x 4 ( rarely over 4 ) inches. The foliage is gray-green with light brown-gray mottling. During winter, the foliage often turns purplish with silver mottling.
The unpleasant smelling flowers are borne in bottlebrush-like spikes up to 4 inches in length.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 however it is only evergreen zones 7 and warmer. Prefers moist, fertile, acidic, light soil. Thrives in partial to full shade. Heat, flood and dense shade tolerant; it can tolerate temporary drought once established. Clumps can be divided during early spring before growth begins.

* photo taken @ Tyler Arboretum near Philly, PA on August 2004

* photo taken on March 28 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo taken on Mar 7 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on June 30 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on May 7 2014 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2014 @ Maryland Horticulturalist Society garden tour, Ellicott City

* photos taken on Apr 17 2016 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on Mar 18 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

* photo taken on Nov 3 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 8 2019 in Gaithersburg, MD

* photos taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey PA

* photo taken on Oct 28 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 19 2023 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

* photos taken on Nov 15 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Angola'
Much more heat tolerant than species, even thriving in Louisiana, reaching up to 4 feet across in 6 years. Brighter foliage variegation.

'Eco Picture Leaf'
Attractively variegated spring foliage.

'Kingsville'
Attractively variegated spring foliage.

Pachysandra stylosa ( Chinese Spurge )
Also called Pachysandra axilliaris. A very rapid growing, rhizomatous, dense, evergreen groundcover reaching up to 10 inches x 3 feet.
The broad foliage is striking lush glossy blackish-green. The leaves are up to 4 x 1.7 inches in size.
The fragrant, white flowers appear early spring, often repeating during early autumn.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in partial to full shade.

* photos taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on Feb 8 2014 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

Pachysandra terminalis ( Japanese Spurge )
A dense, spreading, evergreen, groundcover shrub; reaching up to 12 inches in height though plants of extreme age have been known to mound up to 2 feet and spread as much as 12 feet ( spreads over 5 feet are rare ). It is native to Sakhalin and much of Japan. It is also locally native to central China and far eastern China.
The diamond-shaped leaves, up to 4 x 2.3 inches in size, are borne in whorls. The leathery mid-green foliage often turns to yellowish-green during winter.
The white flowers appear in small inflorescences during spring.
They are followed by white berries.
Hardy zone 3 to 9 in partial to deep shade on moist, fertile, well drained soil. One of the most popular evergreen shade tolerant groundcover for temperate climates. Tolerates poor soil and dry shade. Very tough and reliable but may be slow to establish. Typically planted a foot apart as groundcover. Typically grows very dense allowing few weeds to grow. Long lived and very low maintenance.

* photos taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009

* photo taken on March 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photos taken on March 17 2010 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken on July 17 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 14 2015 in Baltimore Co., MD

* photo taken on Dec 3 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON

* photos taken on Aug 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 1 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 10 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 11 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Apr 18 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 19 2019 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on Oct 28 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 30 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 12 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Mar 13 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Mar 21 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Cutleaf'
Fast growing with deeply dissected leaves.

* photo taken on Aug 7 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Green Carpet'
Deeper green foliage

'Green Sheen'
Extremely glossy deep green leaves

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photo taken on May 9 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 11 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 19 2023 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

* photo taken on Mar 26 2021 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC

'Silveredge'
Thin silvery-white variegation on leaf margin.

'Variegata'
The "Variegated Japanese Spurge" is really no different than the regular Japanese Spurge other than having cream edges leaves. It also grows best in moist shade or part shade.