Leaf
David J. Stang, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Japanese spurge
Pachysandra terminalis Siebold & Zucc.
Also known as: Japanese pachysandra
Family: Buxaceae
15 to 30 cm tall
Woodland and shaded borders; one of the most widely used ground covers beneath trees in difficult situations
Flowering: March – April
Shade
Hardy to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
It is one of the few ground covers able to thrive in the dense, dry shade beneath large shallow-rooted trees, where most other perennials struggle to establish.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, ovate, toothed at the tip, arranged in a rosette at the ends of the stems, glossy green
🌸 Flowers
Small, whitish, without petals, in an upright spike in the axils of the upper leaves, barely visible
🍎 Fruits
Small white drupe, rarely produced in temperate climates
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with a sub-woody habit
🗺️ Distribution
Native to Japan and China; one of the most widely grown woodland ground covers in the temperate world
🐝 Value for pollinators
Inconspicuous flowering, of little significance to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Reference ground cover for shaded, dry areas under trees, tolerates root competition
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Foliage slightly toxic if ingested by domestic animals
🌿 Other Buxaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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