Japanese Spurge
Pachysandra terminalis
Japanese Spurge
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.
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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.
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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.
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Yes, it holds its glossy dark green foliage all year round, providing reliable structure and ground cover through every season, including winter.
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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.
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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.
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*Unfortunately we cannot accept returns of undamaged plants as these are perishable items and are not saleable upon return. If a plant is damaged, we will compensate for this as per our live arrival guarantee. -
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