Thick or Shady Greens
Originally native to the rain-fed forests of China and Japan, the thick-maned plant is enjoying increasing interest in our country. The trivial name thick anthere for the half-shrub is due to its conspicuously thick dusty leaves. Anthere means anther. The botanical name is Pachysandra terminalis. The ground cover thicket is also called Japanese ysander and shade grass. The latter term hits the nail on the head. Thickets like to grow in sunny areas and cover bare areas with a rich green carpet. Loose soil enriched with humus is the ideal basis for good growth.
Characterisation of Pachysandra terminalis
This frost-resistant, thick-leaved plant grows up to 25cm tall and retains its attractive foliage in winter. The lanceolate, leathery foliage is alternately close together. They are distinguished by their glossy surfaces. The leaf half towards the tip has coarse serrations, the rest is smooth. From April to May, the fat leaf bears 2 to 4 cm long, upright flower stalks with narrow, white individual leaves. Rather inconspicuous female flowers sit below the male ones. Developing fruits look like white balls. The pistils of the female flowers remain on the fruits. Each of these capsules contains 2 to 3 black seeds.
Which places does the thicket plant prefer?
The ground cover plant is sensitive to the scorching rays of the sun. Under extremely hot conditions, the leaves turn yellow.
Pachysandra is a plant that is very sensitive to the sun.
Pachysandra unfurls beautifully:
- for landscape planting with dense growth
- in gardens with a lot of shade.
- under large trees (thickets do not know root competition).
- in wooded areas with herbaceous, shrub and tree zones.
- as a foliage ornamental on grasses.
Pachysandra spreads slowly, forms compact mats and nips weeds in the bud. Buying thick mats means that areas planted with it require little maintenance. The areas leave an even and aesthetically pleasing impression. You do not need to remove autumn leaves that fall on the ground cover. Every year it seems as if the plants suck up the fallen leaves from the trees.
Partner for the thicket plant
As a former forest plant, Pachysandra terminalis is used to a low-calcium soil environment. This means pH values of 7.0 (neutral) to 4.0 (slightly acidic) provide perfect conditions for the bushy thickets.Rhododendrons make similar demands on the soil and make excellent plant neighbours. For bordering fences and as a decorative background, white-green ivy makes a delightful combination with Pachysandra.
The plant with the funny name is a popular ground cover that grows all year round. The white flowers in the centre of each plant, which always bloom between April and May, give the plant a particularly noble appearance. But the plant does not lose its charm in the older season either. It grows between 15 and 25 cm tall and can permanently cover large areas. The frost-hardy plant Pachysandra Terminales can also grow in the shade - so you can also plant it under Bäume. Invite the Thicket into your garden - you will enjoy this ground cover 365 days a year.
Buy Thicket
For one square metre you will need about 12 plants.
The plants are grown in pots, so you can use the Pachysandra terminales all year round
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