# Pachysandra

Pachysandra is a green plant with glossy leaves that grows low to the ground. It's often used to cover the soil in gardens and forests, providing a lush carpet-like appearance.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests
- **Also known as:** Ground Cover Spurge, Japanese Spurge

![Pachysandra](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pachysandra_terminalis0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pachysandra_terminalis0.jpg)

## Appearance

The Pachysandra is a low-growing plant with thick, glossy, dark green leaves that often form a dense carpet. Its small, white, bottle-brush-like flowers emerge in upright spikes in spring, contrasting with the evergreen foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Buxales
- **Family:** Buxaceae
- **Genus:** Pachysandra

## Interesting facts

- It has tiny, hidden fruits that look like little white berries!
- It's sometimes called "Japanese Spurge" but it's not a true spurge!
- Its shiny leaves stay green all winter long, even under snow!
- Some varieties of Pachysandra can smell like fresh-cut grass!

## Special abilities

- **Shade Conqueror:** Pachysandra has a special talent for growing robustly even in deep shade where most plants struggle to survive.
- **Dense Mat Creator:** Pachysandra can form a thick, living carpet that smothers weeds and helps prevent soil from washing away.
- **Evergreen Shield:** Pachysandra has tough, waxy leaves that stay green through winter, protecting the soil from harsh weather.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-30 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Leaves are occasionally browsed by deer
- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Attracts some early spring insect visitors
- **Shelter:** Common Earthworm (*Lumbricus terrestris*) — Dense groundcover provides habitat and shade

## Traits

- [Groundcover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/groundcover): Groundcover plants are low-growing vegetation that spreads horizontally to cover the ground, often suppressing weeds and preventing soil erosion.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Ground Covers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ground-covers)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy looking at Pachysandra in gardens or forests, but avoid touching or eating plants unless an adult says it's safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Pachysandra?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Pachysandra?

15-30 cm

### How wide does Pachysandra spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Pachysandra?

0.5-1 cm

### When does Pachysandra bloom?

Spring

### Is Pachysandra edible?

No

### Is Pachysandra toxic?

Mild

### What is Pachysandra's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Pachysandra: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pachysandra)