| Common Name: |
Allegheny Pachysandra or Allegheny Spurge |
| Type: |
Evergreen Subshrub or Groundcover |
| Family: |
Buxaceae |
| Leaves: |
Leaves are alternate, simple, evergreen, semi-evergreen to deciduous, and 2 to 4" long. They are 2 to 3" wide and elliptic with new growth that is flat green to bluish green and often mottled. |
| Stem: |
Upright, greenish, glabrous |
| Size: |
6 to 10" (12") high |
| Hardiness: |
Zone 4 to 9. For an idea of your plant zone please visit the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. |
| Habit: |
Deciduous to semi-evergreen to evergreen ground cover spreading by rhizomes. |
| Rate: |
Slow, perhaps medium if soil is loose, moist and acidic |
| Flowers: |
White or pinkish, flagrant, borne on 2 to 4" long spikes in March-April |
| Diseases & Insects: |
Apparently this species is not troubled by dieback problems, scale, or leaf spot which sometimes ruin plantings of other members of the same genus. |
| Landscape Value: |
Excellent and different groundcover for shade, forms a soft carpet of gray-green leaves. |
| Soil Preference: |
Does best in a soft and deep, very well drained soil. Prefers acidic soil with a pH of 6.5 or below, but will tolerate soils with a pH that's neutral or slightly alkaline, 7.0 or above. |
| Care: |
Pinch back the tips of new plantings for several years to promote bushiness. It may take up to three years for beds to fill in. Remove fallen leaves and other debris by gently raking them out or by using a leaf blower. Energetic raking will snap off mature stems and leave gaps in the ground cover. |
| Fertilization: |
Fertilize periodically in the spring using a fertilizer higher in phosperous. You can spread a slow release fertilizer near the plants every 3-4 months.
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| Planting Instructions: |
Start at the farthest away area and plant the 'groundcover' evenly and outwards (like painting yourself into a corner). Water well, and remember to water regularly until they have started to grow.
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