How to Grow and Care for Japanese Pachysandra

Japanese pachysandra is a tough plant and this toughness makes it useful in the yard. It is an evergreen perennial—a plant that is herbaceous in the sense it lacks woody stems, but its foliage does not die back in winter, it merely yellows a bit. This evergreen groundcover produces white flowers in the spring, but it is grown primarily for its leathery, dark-green leaves. 

The popularity of Japanese pachysandra can be attributed to the fact that it may solve several prominent landscaping problems at once. It is resistant to pests and deer browsing and tolerates drought, shade, and heavy clay soils. Dry shade provides one of the most challenging conditions for plants since it requires toleration on two fronts, and Japanese pachysandra is one of the plants up to this challenge. The plant is also an effective groundcover for weed control, as it spreads to form a dense mat that inhibits weed growth. 

However, like other plants that are tolerant of challenging conditions, this toughness can be a double-edged sword because Japanese pachysandra is also considered an invasive plant in some areas. As many gardeners who now regret planting it will tell you, it requires more effort to contain it and keep this vigorously spreading plant under control than growing it.

Japanese Pachysandra Care

Japanese pachysandra is often sold and shipped as bare root plants, which gives you an idea how tough this plant is. Once established, Japanese pachysandra requires very little to no care. Here are the main care requirements for growing Japanese pachysandra:

• Plant it in any type of acidic soil in a location with partial to full shade.
• Water only until the plant is established. It is quite drought-tolerant.
• Fertilization is not required.
• Dense foliage can lead to fungal disease. Thin out plants for better air circulation.

Light

This foliage plant is best grown in partial to full shade.

Soil

The plant grows in any type of soil. It prefers acidic soil (pH of 5.5 to 6.5) enriched with compost.

Water

Give the plant adequate water to get it established. Once established, you do not have to worry much about watering the plants, even in a dry spell or drought. 

Temperature and Humidity

Japanese pachysandra is a tough plant that tolerates conditions at either end of the temperature range, summer heat as well as winter chill. High humidity can lead to the spread of fungal diseases in the dense foliage. 

Fertilizer

There is no need to fertilize pachysandra.

Types of Japanese Pachysandra

• Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) is native to the United States and not invasive. It grows much slower and less aggressively that Japanese pachysandra. 
• Pachysandra terminalis ‘Green Carpet’ is a more compact cultivar of Japanese pachysandra with shiny dark green leaves. 
• Pachysandra terminalis ‘Green Sheen’ is a cultivar of Japanese pachysandra that stands out by its glossy foliage.
• Pachysandra terminalis ‘Variegata’ has glossy leaves with irregular creamy white mottling along the edges.

Pruning

Pruning is not necessary but thinning out Japanese pachysandra occasionally provides good air circulation which deters fungal diseases.

Propagating Japanese Pachysandra

Division is the easiest and quickest way of propagating pachysandra. Anyone who has pachysandra in their yard will likely be happy to share some with you.

1. In the spring, dig up a clump by going underneath it with a sharp spade or shovel from all four sides to dislodge the dense root system. Once it’s loose, lift the clump out of the ground.
2. Cut the clump into smaller sections with a spade or a soil knife and make sure that each of them has rhizomes with roots on it.
3. Replant the sections at the same depth as the original plant and tamp down the soil.
4. Water it deeply and continue watering in the absence of rain until you see new growth on the plant. 

Potting and Repotting Japanese Pachysandra

Growing pachysandra in pots is an excellent way to keep its growth under control. Use a pot or planter of any size and make sure it has good drainage holes. Fill it with well-draining potting mix, or a mixture of potting mix and compost. Unlike pachysandra in garden soil, potted plants need regular watering because the soil dries out much faster. 

Overwintering

Japanese pachysandra is a winter-hardy plant down to zone 3 that does not require any winter protection. 

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Pachysandra is rarely bothered by pests and diseases. Lack of air circulation can foster fungal diseases. In addition to pruning a dense patch as described above under Pruning, it is a good idea to remove any fallen leaves that may blanket the plant in the autumn and trap moisture in the planting bed.

The plant is susceptible to leaf blight, which results from a fungal invasion. Fungus loves moisture, so do not water the plants overhead.