Pachysandra
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
Pachysandra Template:IPAc-en[1] is a genus of five species of evergreen perennials or subshrubs, belonging to the boxwood family Buxaceae. The species are native to eastern Asia and southeast North America, some reaching a height of Template:Convert, with only weakly woody stems. The leaves are alternate, leathery, with a coarsely toothed margin, and are typically Template:Convert long. The small uni-sexual blooms are greenish-white and produced in late spring or early summer.[2]
Etymology
Pachysandra is derived from the Ancient Greek word παχύς (pachýs, 'thick') and the Neo-Latin -androus ('of or pertaining to stamens'), and is a reference to the thick stamens.[3][4]
Species
- Pachysandra axillaris - China
- Pachysandra coriacea (sometimes classified as Sarcococca coriacea) - India, Nepal, Myanmar
- Pachysandra procumbens - Allegheny Pachysandra (southeast United States)
- Pachysandra stylosa - China (sometimes treated as a variety of P. axillaris[5])
- Pachysandra terminalis - China, Japan[6][7][8]
Cultivation and uses
Pachysandra can grow in deep-shade areas and is thus well-suited and popular as ground cover for shade gardens. There are several varieties used in the garden landscape, all of which are deer-resistant:
- The most commonly used species is P. terminalis, or Japanese spurge, which is an aggressively spreading evergreen ground cover.
- 'Variegata' has leaves attractively variegated green and creamy white, with a slower growth/spreading rate as P. terminalis.
- 'Green Sheen' Pachysandra has extra glossy dark green leaves and slowly spreads.
- 'Green Carpet' Pachysandra has deeper semi glossed green leaves than the common P. Terminalis, with prominent veining, more toothed serrations to the leaf edge, and a shorter more compact growth habit.[8]
All species in this genus prefer a well-drained soil with a high humus content.
References
External links
- ↑ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995, pp.606–607.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. Template:ISBN (hardback), Template:ISBN (paperback). pp 63, 287
- ↑ Template:Cite Merriam-Webster
- ↑ 2b. Pachysandra axillaris var. stylosa (Dunn) M. Cheng, Flora of China
- ↑ GRIN Species Records of Pachysandra, GRIN Taxonomy for Plants
- ↑ 3. Pachysandra A. Michaux, Flora of China
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".