The illustrated growing guide
Pachysandra
Pachysandra terminalis
Family Buxaceae
Est. zones 4-8
The dry-shade problem solver under maples where grass has failed for 40 years. Evergreen, deer-proof, zero-input once knitted. The native Allegheny species is the connoisseur upgrade.
SHADE
Moderate water
Slow-Moderate growth
Deer-resistant
Attracts beesI
Overview
Will pachysandra suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what pachysandra actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-8Pachysandra at a glance
Common pachysandra problems
- Euonymus Scale (thin patches = check stems)
- Volutella Blight (thin, rake, improve airflow)
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow pachysandra: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate pachysandra
When to spray pachysandra
Growing season. Thin overcrowded beds; airflow is the medicine.
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The year
What pachysandra asks for, month by month.
The pachysandra year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The pachysandra year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar quiet month
- Apr bloom
- May quiet month
- Jun quiet month
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Pachysandra in the garden system
- Groundcover layer perennial
- Living mulch
What pachysandra is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic to pets
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of pachysandra, ruled as a catalogue.
Best pachysandra varieties & cultivars
'Green Sheen' (glossy); native P. procumbens (Allegheny spurge — prettier, less vigorous, worth seeking)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to pachysandrayet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Pachysandra questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat pachysandra?
Rarely — pachysandra is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is pachysandra safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic to pets Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate pachysandra?
Division or seed.
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Elsewhere
Where pachysandra sits in the library.
Creeping Thyme
Comfrey
Anise Hyssop
Echinacea