Pachysandra
Pachysandra terminalis
Pachysandra blooms from April through May.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Pachysandra
Plant it in full shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 8 in tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Pachysandra
Plant Pachysandra in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Good to know about Pachysandra
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Full sun bleaches the leaves and worsens its main disease, but dense airless shade traps moisture and feeds it too. Aim for shade with real air movement. per NC State and UConn
Zone range varies by source
NC State lists zones 4a to 9b; Clemson lists 5a to 8b. The reliable core is 5 to 8, with 4 the optimistic cold limit. per NC State and Clemson
Watch for Volutella blight
Its signature disease, Volutella blight, makes tan or brown target-like leaf blotches, then stem cankers that kill plants in expanding circular patches. It preys on stressed beds. per Penn State
Euonymus scale invites blight
Euonymus scale is more than its own pest: its feeding wounds weaken the plant and let Volutella blight in, so controlling scale is part of blight control. per Penn State and UConn
Use native Allegheny spurge
Not native and it can escape into woodlands, smothering native plants; Maryland no longer recommends it. Swap in the native Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) for the same shade cover. per NC State and University of Maryland
Deer resistant
Rated resistant to deer browsing, which is a big part of its appeal as a low-maintenance shade groundcover. per NC State
What pairs well with Pachysandra
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Summersweet
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; stands well above at 5.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Goatsbeard
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it; this one spreads, so it will crowd its neighbor in time.
Rhododendron
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into early summer; stands well above at 5.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Lady's Mantle
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into midsummer; taller at 1.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Ostrich Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Camellia
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
Ligularia
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; taller at 3.9 ft, for the layer behind it; this one spreads, so it will crowd its neighbor in time.
Northern Sea Oats
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it; this one spreads, so it will crowd its neighbor in time.
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