Pachysandra terminalis Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Pachysandra terminalis — 9cm / 0.5L9cm / 0.5L
Japanese Spurge

Pachysandra terminalis

£4.49 £5.59 SAVE 19%
Very hardyShade-tolerantEvergreenRHS award winner
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £4.49

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

Pachysandra terminalis, better known as Japanese spurge, is the go-to evergreen groundcover for the parts of the garden where nothing else seems to thrive. This tough, mat-forming perennial carpets shady borders and dry ground beneath trees with whorls of glossy, dark green leaves, smothering weeds and bringing year-round structure to difficult corners. It is a genuine problem-solver, and one that holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its reliability and good looks.

Why grow Japanese spurge?

The appeal of the pachysandra plant lies in its low-maintenance, do-anything character. The leathery foliage stays fresh and evergreen right through winter, and in spring it is joined by short spikes of small, faintly fragrant white flowers. Spreading quietly by underground rhizomes, it knits into a dense, even carpet roughly 15-30 cm tall that suppresses weeds and needs almost no attention once settled in.

  • Evergreen, glossy dark green foliage all year round
  • Thrives in partial to deep shade, including dry shade under trees
  • Excellent weed-suppressing groundcover for banks and borders
  • Fully hardy across the UK (RHS H7) and holds the RHS AGM

To grow Pachysandra terminalis well, give it a shady or partly shaded position in moist, humus-rich soil. It is wonderfully unfussy about soil type, settling happily into chalk, clay, loam or sand across the full range of acid, neutral and alkaline conditions. Avoid hot, baking sun, which can scorch and yellow the leaves. Water through the first season to help it establish, then it becomes notably drought-tolerant. It is fully hardy and needs no winter protection, sailing through frost and snow without complaint.

Whether you are looking for japanese spurge to clothe a tricky shaded bank, fill the ground beneath a hedge, or simply want dependable evergreen cover that looks after itself, this is a plant that earns its place. Every plant we send out is nursery-grown and carefully selected, arriving healthy, well-rooted and ready to spread.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

Best quality plants guaranteed
7 day live arrival guarantee
Delivered to your door with care
Earn 22 points with this plant · 5 points per £1 Join free

How to care for Japanese Spurge

Give me sun with a little shade and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Japanese Spurge

Pachysandra terminalis needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Exotic Borders Ground Cover Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H7): below −20°C. Very hardy; shrugs off the coldest UK winters.

Fully hardy throughout the UK (RHS H7), tolerating temperatures well below -15C with no winter protection needed. It is reliably evergreen and stands through hard frost and snow, looking fresh year-round. Read moreShow less

Fully hardy throughout the UK (RHS H7), tolerating temperatures well below -15C with no winter protection needed. It is reliably evergreen and stands through hard frost and snow, looking fresh year-round.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered
Thrives in partial to deep shade, including dry shade beneath trees and shrubs where little else will grow. It will tolerate more open positions but dislikes prolonged hot, dry sun, which can scorch and yellow the foliage. Read moreShow less

Thrives in partial to deep shade, including dry shade beneath trees and shrubs where little else will grow. It will tolerate more open positions but dislikes prolonged hot, dry sun, which can scorch and yellow the foliage.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Adaptable to most soils including chalk, clay, loam and sand, across acid, neutral and alkaline pH. It prefers moist but well-drained, humus-rich ground; a mulch of leaf mould at planting helps it knit together quickly. Read moreShow less

Adaptable to most soils including chalk, clay, loam and sand, across acid, neutral and alkaline pH. It prefers moist but well-drained, humus-rich ground; a mulch of leaf mould at planting helps it knit together quickly.

Watering

Water regularly through the first growing season to settle the roots, especially in dry shade under trees. Once established it is notably drought-tolerant and needs little ongoing watering. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first growing season to settle the roots, especially in dry shade under trees. Once established it is notably drought-tolerant and needs little ongoing watering.

Mature size

Height15-30 cm
Spread1 m+ (spreading)

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Spreading/groundcover

Flowering

Mar-May

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Scent

Faintly fragrant flowers

Pruning

No regular pruning needed; shear over lightly in spring only if the groundcover looks patchy or untidy.

Toxicity

No serious toxicity reported; generally considered non-toxic, though as with any plant ingestion of large quantities may cause mild stomach upset.

Native range

Japan, China

Family

Buxaceae

Also known as

Pachysandra terminalis

Genus

Pachysandra
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pachysandra terminalis fully hardy in the UK?

Yes, Japanese spurge is one of the hardiest evergreen groundcovers you can grow, rated RHS H7 and happy down to around -20C. It needs no winter protection anywhere in the UK and stays green through frost and snow.

Where is the best place to plant it?

It is the classic answer to difficult shade, including dry shade under trees and on north-facing borders. Give it partial to full shade in moist, humus-rich soil and it will spread into a dense, weed-suppressing carpet.

Is Pachysandra terminalis evergreen?

Yes, it holds its glossy dark green foliage all year round, providing reliable structure and ground cover through every season, including winter.

How big does it get and is it invasive?

It stays low at around 15-30 cm tall but spreads steadily by underground rhizomes to form a wide mat. It is vigorous rather than truly invasive, and is easily kept in check by trimming back the edges.

Can I grow Japanese spurge in pots?

Yes, it grows well in containers and shady patio pots, where its trailing, mat-forming habit softens the edges. Use a loam-based compost, keep it out of baking sun and water in dry spells, as pots dry faster than open ground.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

You may also like

We recommend
Pachysandra terminalis
£4.49 £5.59