PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
Flowering bugle plant . photograph by : Orest Iyzhechka / Shutterstock
Bugleweed is a unwashed low - maintenance reason cover that is utilitarian for quickly cut through large area . This evergreen or semi - evergreen perennial is fearless in most growing regions and is tolerant of a wide reach of growing atmospheric condition , from full sun to full shade , and different soils . The small rounded leaf come in a orbit of gloss and blueprint , with showy flower spike that seem in springtime attracting hummingbird , butterfly , and other insect pollinators .
A member of the mint family , the most commonly grown cosmetic species of bugleweed ( Ajuga reptans ) is native to Europe , northern Africa and western Asia , and has naturalize in the U.S. and other countries across the globe . Bugleweed has a vigorous growth habit that can beinvasive in some areas(see where ) , so it ’s important to find out how to use it in your landscape . See below forbugleweed alternativesif it is invasive in your area .
This dense , mat - imprint basis cover song can be used to inhibit sess and on piteous sites where slight else will develop . Bugleweed is versatile in seam , borders , and container . Here ’s how to grow and apply bugleweed in your yard .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Pictures|Frequently ask Questions|Landscaping Ideas
On this page :
BUGLEWEED BASICS
Botanical name:
Ajuga reptansand other species
Common names:
Ajuga , bugleweed , blue bugle , carpet bugle , common bugleweed , bugleherb , carpet smoke , rug bugleweed
Plant type:
Herbaceous perennial earth cover
Zones:
3 - 10 , depending on the variety
Exposure:
Full sun to full shade
Habit:
Dense mat - forming habit ; spread out through creeping rootstock
Height/Spread:
3 to 12 inches marvellous , 6 to 24 inches wide , depending on the variety
Bloom time:
recent spring to early summer , with sporadic rebloom
Flowers:
little tubular flowers resemble lobelia go on on upright spikes . bloom colouring is most often blue , but can also be pink or white .
Foliage:
orotund or oval foliage has a crumple texture , with a shiny or dull surface . foliation colors can be fleeceable , Bourgogne , bronze , chocolate , gold , or variegated . The leafage is evergreen or semi - evergreen in all but the coldest area .
Is bugleweed deer resistant?
Bugleweed is cervid resistant due to the bitter taste of the foliage , which repels most wildlife .
HOW TO PLANT BUGLEWEED
When to plant:
Plant bugle during milder calendar month in spring or fall to quash emphasis from extreme heating or cold .
Where to plant:
Choose a site with fond sun to full shade and rich , well - draining soil . Some varieties are kind of full sunlight . foliation colouration will be most vibrant with at least 3 to 4 hours of direct sunshine . Provide good afternoon tincture in hotter climate . check that there is good air circulation to discourage disease .
How to plant:
Loosen soil in the planting domain and amend with compost or other copious organic matter . Dig a hole more or less wide-cut and deeper than the etymon orb . slay plant from the baby’s room container and cod out solution if potbound . Place in the golf hole so the top of the root word ball is floor or slightly high than the beleaguer ground . fill up in the cakehole with soil , pack down gently to murder air pockets , and water thoroughly .
Spacing:
Space flora 12 to 18 in apart .
BUGLEWEED CARE
' Black Scallop ' bugleweed . Photo : Proven Winners
Soil:
Ajugais tolerant of a wide grasp of dirt , but prefers rich , well enfeeble stain with a more or less acidic pH of 4.5 to 6.5 . Good drain is essential to prevent beginning rot or crest rot . For container , use a high quality all - intent potting commixture .
Amendments & fertilizer:
bugle needs piffling or no supplementary fertiliser unless soil is poor . In early outpouring , apply a slow release all - intention plant food according to pedagogy . Mulch around plants with a thin level of compost or other organic affair to suppress weeds and retain moisture .
Watering:
Bugleweed prefer temperate wet and is drought broad once establish . Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot or treetop rot .
Pruning:
Remove errant runner whenever they trench into areas where they ’re not wanted to keep other industrial plant from becoming overproduction . Prune out all in or damage foliage as need . When plant are terminate blooming , shear off spent bloom angry walk to better appearance . In large areas , this can be done with a lawnmower at a high setting .
Pests and diseases:
When return optimum growing conditions , bugleweed is costless of most pestilence and diseases . Pests includeaphidsand root knot nematodes . In humid climates , plants are more susceptible to crown decompose orpowdery mildew . Overwatering or badly enfeeble grunge can cause root rot .
BUGLEWEED VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners .
' Black Scallop'—Buy now from Proven WinnersAjuga reptans
Zones:4 - 10Habit : Creeping spreading habitHeight / Spread:3 to 10 inches grandiloquent , 10 to 14 column inch wideExposure : Full Lord’s Day to shadeBloom sentence : Late spring to former summer
‘ Black Scallop ’ produces glossy mysterious burgundy foliage with a escallop bound . Coloring becomes disconsolate with more sun and can look intimately black . bloom spikes are pictorial blue . Combine with creeping Jenny or other Au foliaged ground cover for complementary contrast .
Photo : Lynn Hunt / Millette Photomedia
' Bronze Beauty’Ajuga reptans
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Creeping spreading habitHeight / Spread:3 to 6 column inch tall , 12 to 18 inches wideExposure : fond tad to shadeBloom clock time : belated outpouring to other summertime
This vigorous sort produce robust dark dismal flower lace that contrast dramatically with the bronze - green leafage . Plant in between stepping Lucy Stone or underneath bush where plants will get fond Lord’s Day for the good color .
Photo : Anna Gratys / Shutterstock
' Burgundy Glow’Ajuga reptans
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Compact spreading habitHeight / Spread:9 to 12 inches tall , 12 to 24 in wideExposure : fond sun to shadeBloom time : Late springtime
Semi - evergreen leaves are fleeceable with creamy white margin along the bound . Use to lighten up up fly-by-night area ; coloring is best in semi - shade . flora in container , sway garden , woodland borders , or hatful in the landscape . bed cover by rhizomes , but is not trespassing . Plants favour moderately moist to lactating dirt ; do n’t allow soil to dry out out completely . somewhat drought tolerant once establish .
' Catlin ’s Giant’Ajuga reptans
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Creeping spreading habitHeight / Spread:3 to 12 inches tall , 12 to 24 inch wideExposure : Full sun to shadeBloom metre : previous spring to other summer
This honour - win variety is prise for its showy purplish - bronze foliage and lifelike reddish blue - blue flower spike that reach up to 12 in marvelous . apply this larger mat - forming assortment to chop-chop cover larger field . ‘ Catlin ’s Giant ’ pairs well with spring blossom medulla such as yellow daffodils and tulips .
' Chocolate Chip’Ajuga reptans
Zones:4 - 9Habit : grovel spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 inches tall , 6 to 12 inches wideExposure : Partial sunshine to shadeBloom time : later bounce to early summertime
‘ Chocolate Chip ’ has narrow oval - mold leaves in shade of green and deep brown brown that become more intensely colored during cooler months . This gnome cultivar has a scurvy mounding wont and is less vigorous than other variety . Use in pocket-size spaces , containers , or where more controlled increment is desire . More disease - resistant than other cultivars .
Photo : Rock Giguere / Millette Photomedia
square Friends ™ ‘ Tropical Toucan’Ajugahybrid
Zones:4 - 9Habit : crawl spread habitHeight / Spread:4 to 6 inches tall , 9 to 18 column inch wideExposure : Partial sun to shadeBloom time : Late leap to former summertime
One of the first gold - leaf bugleweed varieties , feather Friends ™ ‘ Tropical Toucan ’ has large wavy golden leaves , red stems , and Co low-spirited peak for stunning demarcation . apply to light up shady areas or mass along a slope . Foliage holds it bright coloring year - orotund .
' fortunate Glow’Ajuga reptans
Zones:3 - 9Habit : fawn spreading habitHeight / Spread:4 to 6 inches tall , 12 to 18 inches wideExposure : Partial Lord’s Day to shadeBloom fourth dimension : Late outflow to early summer
‘ Golden Glow ’ take shape a dense low - get carpet , with rounded leaves splotched with green and creamy white that get mite of rose - pink during cool months . brusk spikes of deep - blue bloom contrast with the motley leaves for stunning demarcation . disperse more slowly than other diverseness . Use in modest spaces , containers , and winter landscape . Protect from red-hot good afternoon sunlight .
picture : Helen Pitt / Shutterstock
' Metallica Crispa’Ajuga pyramidalis
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Creeping spreading habitHeight / Spread:3 to 6 in tall , 8 to 12 inch wideExposure : Full sunshine to fill in ; protect from hot afternoon Dominicus . blush time : Late bounce to former summer
Crinkly benighted green and majestic - bronze foliage has a shiny metallic sheen . Foliage coloring is more pronounced with smart exposure , and during warmer months . plant are pocket-sized and slower growing than some other kind . Showcase ‘ Metallica Crispa ’ in a small space , rock’n’roll garden , or utilize as edging .
Photo : Gurcharan Singh / Shutterstock
' Pink Lightning’Ajuga reptans
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Creeping spreading habitHeight / Spread:4 to 6 inches grandiloquent , 12 to 16 in wideExposure : fond sunshine to shadeBloom time : Late outpouring to former summer
This strange variety produces short pink efflorescence spikes and ruffled sage gullible leave-taking with a creamy lily-white edge for eye - catch contrast . Use in smaller yards , as an attractive accent in containers , or to buoy up up shady expanse .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is bugleweed invasive?
Ajugais considered invasive in parts of Maryland , Oregon , and West Virginia . Though it has a vigorous increment drug abuse , it can be controlled by grok up the underground runners . Avoid plant near a turf lawn , or install a barrier to prevent Lycopus virginicus from taking over lawn areas .
IsAjugaa good ground cover?
Ajugais useful as a ground cover to chop-chop cover a incline or other large area , or when planted in challenging sites where piffling else will grow .
Does bugleweed come back every year?
Ajugais a long - live evergreen plant or semi - evergreen perennial that comes back reliably from twelvemonth to year .
Will bugleweed choke out other plants?
Many varieties ofAjugahave a vigorous spreading plant that can displace nearby plants . Confine bugleweed to more challenging sites , or keep works on a regular basis rationalize back .
Is bugleweed poisonous to humans?
Bugleweed is not count toxic to humans , though it may get digestive upset to dogs and cats if ingested . touch your veterinarian or poison control center if your pet experiences any signs of distress .
BUGLEWEED LANDSCAPING TIPS
' Burgundy Glow ' ajuga . Photo : Cha . Gheysamool / Shutterstock
For borders and landscapes:
Use bugle as edging , underneath trees and shrubs , as a lawn alternative , in rock gardens , masses plantings or timber border .
For slopes and hillsides:
bugle can be massed along a slope or hillside to stem erosion .
For containers:
Plant Lycopus virginicus in container by itself or in combination with other plant with similar growing need .
There are many slipway to use bugleweed in your landscape . Here ’s how :
Companion plants : Bugleweed pairs well with many tree , shrub , perennials and annuals . Some of the best companion plants admit astilbe , bleeding heart , coral buzzer , daffodil , fern , blank out - me - not , genus Fothergilla , barely geranium , holly , hydrangea , hosta , lungwort , rose , Siberian bugloss , and viola .
alternative to bugleweed : In regions whereAjugais invasive , utilise alternate ground covers that thrive in partial tone . These admit bishop ’s hat , dwarf cornel , creep Jenny , mazus , Siberian bugloss , blob deadnettle , or wild pep .
