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Wendy Brister grew up gardening, went on to college to learn more about plants, and is now – in a variety of ways - sharing with others the horticulture knowledge she has spent her life learning. Brister is an adjunct faculty member at Harrisburg Area Community College specializing in herbaceous plants. She is a consultant, lecturer and a landscape designer. She holds a BS in Landscape Architecture from Temple University Ambler. The self-described plant geek, with a special affection for perennial plants, lives in Eastern York County with her husband Brian, daughter Emma and her dog, Clinger.
Diggin' the Natives – Allegheny Spruge
by Wendy Brister · March 16, 2010
Photo courtesy Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center
Imagine a bed of pachysandra that does not get scale, has foliage that looks great all season and does not invade other delicate perennials and gobble them up! You don’t have to imagine any more because it is true – Pachysandra procumbens, our native pachy, does all of this and more!
A clump former, Allegheny Spurge makes a great groundcover at 6-12” tall. Fragrant white flowers emerge in spring followed by wonderful bright green foliage that mottles with age. The main drawback for most folks is the lack of evergreen foliage (made popular by a certain Japanese cousin) – but with so many other good qualities, why not give it a try? Part to full shade, Zones 5-9.