Japanese Spurge 'Green Carpet'

Multi Buy

Size Guide
3.5
3.5" Perennial
3 or more $6.00 ea
Regularly: $6.99 ea

Japanese Spurge 'Green Carpet'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$6.99
Title

Blanketed in sheer, unmatched luxury, this garden classic creates a pristine, living forest floor that stays immaculate all year long! Highly prized for its elite, compact growth, this premium groundcover forms an extraordinary, high-gloss mat of deeply saturated, waxy emerald foliage. The broad, diamond-shaped leaves feature beautifully tailored, coarsely toothed edges that capture and reflect filtered sunlight like crushed velvet. In mid-spring, this dense, rich green sea is elegantly accented by short, upright spikes of delicate, creamy-white blossoms. It provides a clean, executive-level carpet of solid, unchanging colour that effortlessly handles the deepest shade.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

8" H x 18" W

Zone:

5-9

Watering:

Medium

Type:

Broadleaf Evergreen Perennial Groundcover

Growth Rate:

Slow - Moderate

Light:

Full Shade/Part Shade

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Green Carpet Japanese Spurge, Carpet Box, Green Carpet Pachysandra, Japanese Spurge

Scientific Name:

Pachysandra terminalis 'Green Carpet'

Type:

Filler / Groundcover / Compact Evergreen Sub-shrub

Growth Details:

Mature Size: 15–20 cm Height x 30–45 cm Spread (approx. 6–8" H x 12–18" W).

Growth Habit: Low, exceptionally dense, creeping, and mat-forming.

Form: Ground-hugging, compact horizontal canopy.

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate initially, expanding reliably via underground stolons to form a solid, unbroken colony.

Flowering: Small, neat, upright terminal spikes.

Flowering Time: Mid to late spring (April to May).

Flower Colour: Creamy white.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Partial shade to full, heavy shade (dislikes direct hot sun).

Soil Preferences: Prefers rich, highly organic, humusy, and slightly acidic soils.

Soil Tolerance: Highly resilient; easily tolerates clay soil, dry soil, poor rocky ground, environmental salt, and heavy urban air pollution.

Watering: Medium; prefers consistent moisture but is exceptionally drought-hardy once mature.

Container Role: Acts as an excellent, uniform "Filler" or a tidy, short "Spiller" that neatly scales over the sides of shaded stone planters.

Special Features:

Proud winner of the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit. It is strongly deer resistant, rabbit-resistant, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, urban pollution-tolerant, and highly effective for hillside erosion control.

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Short terminal spikes of slightly fragrant, star-like white blossoms that peek just above the leaf canopy in spring.

Fall/Winter Colour: Unbeatable year-round performance; the glossy, deep green foliage retains its highly polished waxy appearance throughout autumn and winter, fully defying snow and ice.

Garden Value:

The premier modern choice for choking out aggressive weeds and managing erosion on steep, shady hillsides. It serves as an invaluable structural asset for underplanting mature trees, lining shaded foundation beds, and substituting for traditional turf grass in heavy woodland zones where lawn blends fail to survive.

Wildlife & Human Value:

Wildlife Value: The dainty spring flower spires supply a vital, dependable early-season food and nectar source for native bumblebees and beneficial insects.

Human Value: Delivers a permanent, zero-maintenance landscaping solution that eliminates the need for mowing, smothers out competitive weeds, and lives reliably for up to 20 years.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Early spring or early autumn when outdoor soil temperatures are mild and rainfall is frequent.

Spacing: Space individual starter plants 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) apart for a beautifully integrated, solid blanket.

Location Tips: Select a sheltered site hidden from intense, drying winter winds. It excels under shallow-rooted trees like maples, oaks, and pines, comfortably handling the heavy root competition.

Companion Plants: Pairs flawlessly with shade-loving varieties like blue Hostas, bleeding hearts (Dicentra), colourful Coral Bells (Heuchera), and fine woodland ferns.

Care:

Plant in a shaded location, providing total protection from intense afternoon sun to prevent leaf bleaching. Grow in organic, loose, well-draining soil. Maintain even moisture during the first year of planting; once its roots are anchored, significantly scale back watering. Apply a mild, balanced organic fertilizer in early spring only if the soil is notably nutrient-poor.

Tolerances:

Deep shade, heavy clay, rocky or dry soil, extended drought, deer, rabbits, and urban pollution.

Tips For Success:

Thinning: Periodically thin out a few stems from older, over-packed sections every few years to optimize air circulation and keep the carpet looking fresh and uniform.

Mulching: Apply a generous layer of natural organic bark or leaf mulch upon initial planting to insulate the shallow root run and lock in uniform moisture.

Winter Protection: If planted in open, highly exposed northern zone gardens, apply a light dressing of evergreen boughs in late autumn to safeguard the glossy leaves from severe winter windburn.