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Japanese Spurge

Pachysandra terminalis

Regular price $1699
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: This plant thrives in partial to full shade, requiring less than 4 hours of direct sun. While it can handle some morning light, too much direct sun will bleach the deep green leaves to a pale yellow or cause leaf scorch.
  • Soil: It prefers rich, acidic, and moist soil that drains well. If you have heavy clay, mix in organic compost to improve drainage; for sandy soil, add peat moss to help the ground hold onto moisture like a sponge.

Watering Requirements

During the first year, water twice a week to keep the soil consistently moist while the roots establish their footprint. Once mature, Japanese Spurge is quite drought tolerant, but inconsistent watering during heat waves can lead to thinner foliage and a loss of that lush carpet look.

Pruning Tips

Since this evergreen spreads via underground runners, you rarely need to prune for shape. However, you can mow the patch on a high setting in early spring every few years to remove winter burned tips and stimulate fresh growth. This "haircut" forces the plant to divert energy into new, vibrant green stems rather than maintaining old, tattered leaves.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release fertilizer in early spring as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages tender new growth that will not have time to harden off before the first frost, leading to winter kill.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6 Week of March 2nd
Zone 7 Week of February 23rd
Zone 8-12 Week of February 15th


Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

A Perfect Groundcover for the Shade!

Do you have a shaded area on the north side of your house that is crying out for a hardy, sure-bet groundcover to fill in a bare spot where nothing else grows for you? Quickly fill that area with lovely Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra terminalis). Also known as Pachysandra, this shrubby, evergreen ground cover spreads by rhizomes to form a dense carpet of rich, dark green foliage.

Not to be outdone by the showy foliage, Japanese Spurge shoots up tiny white flowers in 1-2" long spikes in early spring. The flowers are not particularly flashy, but on close inspection are quite attractive.

Pachysandra can be used as a lawn substitute in shaded non-traffic areas and ground cover for shade areas. It is an excellent selection for shaded areas under shallow-rooted trees. Plant them 6 inches apart and they will completely fill your garden bed in a couple of years.

This is one of few evergreens that thrives in heavy to complete shade. This makes it invaluable in some specific landscape situations. The light green looks especially good in front of darker shade tolerant evergreens, like hollies and boxwoods (of which pachysandra is a close relative). Make sure to enclose it with an edger to keep it in place. It has become invasive in some parts of the country, so check with your local USDA office if you're concerned.

If you have a tough shady spot, Japanese spurge will thrill you with its groundcover power! Order yours today!

  • Evergreen
  • Trouble-free and maintenance-free
  • Thrives in deep shade

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