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.
