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Pachysandra terminalis - Siebold.&Zucc.

Japanese Spurge

Author	Siebold.&Zucc.	Botanical references	11, 58, 200
Family	Buxaceae	Genus	Pachysandra
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat	Moist deciduous woods in valleys and low mountains to 2000 metres[187, 200].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 0.2m by 0.5m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade; Ground Cover;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and juicy[105]. The ovoid fruits are 5 - 6mm long[266]. The fruit is not usually produced in cultivation[200] - this could be because both male and female plants are required and most people only grow one plant.

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

Ground cover.

A very useful ground cover plant for a shady position, spreading by means of underground runners[182, 190]. A vigorous grower, but it is not too invasive[200].It grows well in the shade of shrubs[K].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers have a pleasant sweet fragrance[245].

Cultivation details

A very tolerant plant, it thrives in any moist well-drained soil[11, 200]. Easily grown in a loose leafy soil succeeding in dry shade[187] and tolerating drought once it is established[190]. Grows well under trees[11]. Dislikes dry soils, full sun and strong winds[200]. Prefers a lime-free soil[182] according to one report whilst another says that it succeeds in acid and alkaline soils[200]. Hardy to about -25°c[187]. Plants are monoecious and rarely if ever produce fruit in cultivation[187, 200]. The flowers have a pleasant sweet fragrance[245]. At least one named form has been selected for its ornamental value[187].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise sow it in late winter. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a shady part of the greenhouse or cold frame. Plant out in early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 4 - 7cm long taken at a node, June - August in a shady position in a frame[78]. Division in spring[200]. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer[K].

Cultivars

There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Links

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[190] Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982 ISBN 0460045512
A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Pachysandra terminalis

Thu Jul 24 2008

what is the nutritional value of this plant

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