Common Names
Common Names in English:
Japanese Pachysandra, Japanese Spurge, Japanese-Spurge, Pachysandra, Spurge
Description
Physical Description
ID Features: Low evergreen groundcover. Rhizomatous growth. Foliage in terminal whorls. Diamond-shaped leaves with coarse serrations at the end of each leaf.
Habit: An evergreen groundcover that spreads by rhizomes and forms a dense and solid carpet of vegetation. • Growth Form: Rhizomatous • Shape and Orientation: Erect
Flowers: Blooms in late March and early April. Small white flowers in terminal spikes. Spikes are 1" to 2" long. Flowers are not usually that numerous and are not especially showy. • Bloom Period: Early Summer • Flower Color: White • Flower Conspicuous: Yes
Seeds: Seed Spread Rate: None • Fruit: Small and inconspicuous. Greenish - white. • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: No • Cold Stratification Required: No
Foliage: Foliage Color: Dark Green • Summer foliage: Leaves are held clustered at the tips of shoots in whorls, with several. inches of naked basal stem present. Leaf arrangement is alternate. Leaves are 2" to 3.5" long and 0.5" to 1.25" wide. Diamond-shaped leaves. Coarsely serrated on the upper third of the leaf. Leaves are glossy, dark green. • Fall foliage: Evergreen , no fall color. • Foliage Porosity Summer: Dense • Foliage Porosity Winter: Dense • Foliage Texture: Medium • Fall Conspicuous: No • Leaf Retention: Yes
Size/Age/Growth
Active Growth Period: Spring and Summer • Growth Rate: Slow • After Harvest Regrowth Rate: None • Mature Height (feet): 0.8 • Size: 6" to 10" high. • Vegetative Spread Rate: Moderate • Lifespan: Lifespan
Landscaping
Landscape Uses: One of the best groundcover for shade. Good for erosion control, sloped shady banks. Works well under shade trees where lawn growth is poor. • Liabilities: Somewhat overused and common. Volutella leaf blight and stem canker can be serious in excessively dense. or stressed plantings . Scale. Will yellow in too much sun. Leaf removal can be challenging.
Habitat
Zone 4.
Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 393 meters (0 to 1,289 feet).Mean = 103.750 meters (340.387 feet), Standard Deviation = 115.720 based on 24 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre.
Biology
Reproduction
Duration: Perennial • Coppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: No • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: No • Propagated by Seed: No • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: Yes • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Persistence: No
Growth
Culture: Easily transplanted. Requires weed control during establishment. Once established , relatively easily grown. Needs partial shade to shade. Soils that are moist slightly acidic and high in organic matter are best. Avoid poorly drained, heavy clay soils .
Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: Yes • Anaerobic Tolerance: None • Salinity Tolerance: Low • CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium • Minimum pH: 5.5 • Maximum pH: 7.5 • Fertility Requirement: High
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade. • Shade Tolerance: Tolerant
Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Low • Minimum Precipitation: 36 • Maximum Precipitation: 60 • Moisture Use: High
Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): -28 • Minimum Frost Free Days: 100 • Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)
Taxonomy
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
)
- Plants
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Vascular Plants
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Dicotyledons
- Order:
Euphorbiales
()
- Family:
Elateroidea
()
- Tribe:
Pachysandreae
()
- Genus:
Pachysandra
()
- A. Michaux, 1803
- Specific epithet:
terminalis
- Sieb. & Zucc.
- Botanical name: - Pachysandra terminalis Sieb. & Zucc.
- Specific epithet:
terminalis
- Sieb. & Zucc.
- Genus:
Pachysandra
(
- Tribe:
Pachysandreae
(
- Family:
Elateroidea
(
- Order:
Euphorbiales
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
Unambiguous Synonyms
- Pachysandra terminalis Sieb. & Zucc.
Notes
Name
Status: Accepted Name
. Latest taxonomic
scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000.
Place of publication
: Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 4(2):142. 1845
Name verified on 27-Dec-1995 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 22-Jun-1999
Similar Species
Members of the genus Pachysandra
There are approximately 21 species in this genus:
P. axillaris · P. axillaris stylosa · P. axillaris subsp. stylosa · P. axillaris var. glaberrima · P. axillaris var. stylosa · P. bodinieri · P. coriacea · P. erecta · P. mairei · P. procumbens (Alleghany Pachysandra) · P. procumbens 'Eco Treasure' · P. procumbens 'Forest Green' · P. procumbens 'Pixie' · P. stylosa · P. termialis · P. terminalis (Japanese Pachysandra) · P. terminalis 'Green Carpet' (Green Carpet Japanese Pachysandra) · P. terminalis 'Green Sheen' (Green Sheen Japanese Spurge) · P. terminalis 'Variegata' (Japanese Spurge) · P. tricarpa · P. variegata
Bibliography
- Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959–. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae. (F China)
- Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage. (Zander ed13)
- Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage. (Zander ed14)
- Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. (Dict Gard)
- Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. (F Carolin) [natzd.].
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Notes
Contributors
- Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 and ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 3, 2006.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 28, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 6 providers.
- The International Plant Names Index. Accessed Jan 19, 2007.
- UConn Plant Database of Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Accessed May 28, 2006.
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Plant Characteristics Database. Accessed April 17, 2006.
- USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 24, 2008)
- Universal Biological Indexer and Organizer. uBio.org accessed July 17, 2008.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 28, 2008:
- Finnish Museum of Natural History: Botanic Garden of the Finnish Museum of Natural History
- GBIF-Sweden: Herbarium of Oskarshamn (OHN)
- GBIF-Sweden: Plants (GBIF-SE:Artdatabanken)
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- National Institute of Genetics, ROIS: Herbarium Specimens of Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo Pref., Japan
- UK National Biodiversity Network: Botanical Society of the British Isles - Vascular Plants Database
- USDA PLANTS: USDA PLANTS Database
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2668390
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-504090
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13761157
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:353208-1
- GRIN Nomen Number: 26291
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 504090
- International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 353208-1
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDBUX02020
- U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: PATE11
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 91
