Seeking a ground cover or lawn alternative that is hardy, pretty, and thrives in shade? Discover ajuga, a flowering perennial with colorful leaves, that will add visual interest to your yard and garden. It’s also deer-resistant! Learn how to grow and care for ajuga.
What Is Ajuga?
Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, carpetweed, carpet bugleweed, and common bugle, and traditionally (though less-commonly) known as St. Lawrence plant.
Most varieties of Ajuga reptans are about 6 inches tall. The colorful blooms are one of the main attractions, but the foliage is equally beautiful even when the plant isn’t in bloom. The fact that ajuga is from the mint—Lamiaceae—family means it has no trouble spreading quickly and thickly, so it’s very effective as a ground cover, especially in areas where it’s too steep or narrow to maintain grass.
Ajuga grows well in full sun to full shade, so there is a lot of flexibility to make it work around buildings and trees. Ajuga can be used to hold soil together on slopes around retaining walls or similar areas of your landscaping. Don’t plan on growing it directly in paths or walkways, though, as ajuga won’t tolerate foot traffic very well. Ajuga is beautiful when planted en masse, but be aware that its passion for spreading can be a double-edged sword: It can spread invasively; the Mississippi State University Extension calls it “aggressive.” Some barriers/borders may need to be implemented to keep your ajuga where you want it. Still, bee and butterfly pollinators love ajuga, so it can be a valuable addition to your garden in more ways than one!
Growing
Ajuga spreads by runners (stolons) and becomes a dense ground cover.
- Ajuga isn’t fussy about sunshine and it can be a nice choice for shady areas. A mix of sun and shade is actually ideal. It’s very adaptable and doesn’t require a lot of babysitting.
- Ajuga fares well in semi-dry soil, but struggles somewhat in wet soil if the moisture is maintained constantly. Try to keep ajuga out of low-lying areas that might hold water.
- You can plant ajuga by banks or slopes—it helps fill in these areas so weeds don’t just take over, and it can even help control soil erosion.
- You can grow ajuga in a container if you want to prevent it from spreading all around your garden, or if you’d just like to enjoy the colorful blooms and foliage on your deck or patio.
- The soil pH isn’t critical, but ajuga is happiest in acidic to neutral soils.
- If it’s feasible, you can deadhead your ajuga after it blooms; this will help with airflow and can minimize the risk of crown rot.
- You can even mow it down after flowering to keep the plants tidy; this can leave just enough of the foliage to maintain the proper look of the ground cover.
- Dividing your plants every few years is another good way to increase airflow.
- Consistent watering is important during the establishment of new plants. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. After it’s fully established, ajuga is fairly tough and adaptable to varying water conditions.
Types
There are many outstanding cultivars of ajuga, and here are a few lovely options:
- ‘Chocolate Chip’ is a popular cultivar with green leaves.
- ‘Multicolor’ has beautiful mottled leaves.
- ‘Alba’ has white flowers.
- ‘Rubra’ has rose-colored flowers.
- ‘Mahogany’ has beautiful dark purple leaves.
More Like This
Comments