Japanese Pachysandra

Looking for a great groundcover? Here is one NOT to use! 

Don’t make this mistake! A homeowner in Clifton had Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) that was overgrowing her sidewalk, so she pulled some of it up and tossed it behind some trees. Now she has a huge patch there taking over her woods!.

What is it?  Why don’t we like it?

●     Japanese Spurge or Pachysandra is a flowering groundcover in the boxwood family. It’s an evergreen perennial that grows well in shade and poor soils.

●     It spreads by rhizome into a deep carpet.  It will take over the area in which it’s planted and will outcompete and kill native plants, including its native cousin, Allegheny Spurge (pachysandra procumbens).

●     Japanese Pachysandra can easily spread into areas where it’s not wanted, including your yard, the nearby woods, stream beds, etc.  It grows fast and aggressively.

●     Small rodents, including rats, can make their homes in it.

How can you remove it?

• Pull it up by hand

• Mow and hoe - for a small infestation

• Mow the plant to the ground.  Use a hoe or shovel to dig up the roots.  Monitor the site to make sure it doesn’t grow back.

• Smother it with a tarp

• Chemicals - for a large infestation

• If there is truly too much to manage through other methods, you can use a broad-spectrum herbicide, such as glyphosate.  Be sure to read the label and follow all instructions carefully. 

Dispose of the leaves and roots in your trash, not your compost pile.  The cuttings can and will grow back.

What can I plant instead?

There are many plants native to Fairfax that can replace Japanese Pachysandra as a groundcover and grow under similar conditions.  You can find them on the Plant NOVA Natives groundcovers page.

Join the movement! Fairfax Tree Rescuers PRISM is a community-wide effort to save our trees from invasive plants. https://www.fairfaxprism.org/

Invasive Japanese Pachysandra