Pachysandra procumbens Michaux. Common name: Mountain Pachysandra, Allegheny-spurge. Phenology: Feb-May; Jul-Aug. Habitat: Moist rich forests, mainly over calcareous or mafic rocks. Distribution: C. KY south to w. NC, nw. SC, w. GA, Panhandle FL (Jackson County only), AL, MS, and e. LA (on loess in the Tunica Hills). Its distribution (and, for that matter, that of the genus as a whole) appears to be relictual and to reflect a poor ability to disperse itself and colonize new territory. Channell & Wood (1987) refer to Pachysandra procumbens as a "nonaggressive if not ‘senile’ species with a very low evolutionary potential". The only locations for this species in NC are in Polk County, NC, which has other notable disjunctions of species which normally occur west of the Blue Ridge (Veratrum woodii, Smilax lasioneura).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA10, G, K4, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn, W, WH3, Robbins (1968); = n/a — Tat. Basionym: Pachysandra procumbens Michx. 1803
Links to other floras: = Pachysandra procumbens - FNA10
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Heliophily ⓘ: 2
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley
© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 4 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Pachysandra procumbens? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous-spreading perennial forming dense carpets in moist, rich woods.
Stems: Stems short, fleshy, purplish-red, crowded with leaves.
Leaves: Leaves alternate (sometimes appearing whorled), oval to round, to 3 in. long, toothed above middle, semi-evergreen, blue-green mottled with white, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in a spike (2-4 in. long) resembling a bottle brush at the top of a separate flowering stem; white (male/staminate) tubular flowers are at the top and dominating, while coral pink (female/pistillate) tubular flowers are at the bottom.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 6-10 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous-spreading perennial forming dense carpets in moist, rich woods.
stems: Stems short, fleshy, purplish-red, crowded with leaves.
leaves: Leaves alternate (sometimes appearing whorled), oval to round, to 3 in. long, toothed above middle, semi-evergreen, blue-green mottled with white, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in a spike (2-4 in. long) resembling a bottle brush at the top of a separate flowering stem; white (male/staminate) tubular flowers are at the top and dominating, while coral pink (female/pistillate) tubular flowers are at the bottom.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: southeastern United States
0 unsaved edits on this page.