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Buxaceae
Pachysandra

not marked as a favorite taxon 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. Kentucky south to w. North Carolina, nw. South Carolina, w. Georgia, Panhandle Florida (Jackson County only), Alabama, Mississippi, and e. Louisiana (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 North Carolina are in Polk County, North Carolina, which has other notable disjunctions of species which normally occur west of the Blue Ridge (Veratrum woodii, Smilax lasioneura). The species has become popular as a shade-adapted native wildflower and may be encountered as persistent from horticultural use.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA10, G, K1, K4, NS, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, Tn, W, WH3, Robbins (1968); = n/a — Tat. Basionym: Pachysandra procumbens Michx. 1803

Links to other floras: = Pachysandra procumbens - FNA10

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Heliophily ⓘ: 2

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image #1 of Pachysandra procumbens© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 3 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Pachysandra procumbens© Keith Bradley
image #3 of Pachysandra procumbens© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 4 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Pachysandra procumbens© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Pachysandra procumbens© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Pachysandra procumbens© Alan Cressler: Pachysandra procumbens, Pickens County, South Carolina 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Pachysandra procumbens© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG
image #8 of Pachysandra procumbens© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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 U.S.