Ajuga reptans Bugleweed, Carpet Bugleweed1
Introduction
This ground-hugging groundcover produces a profusion of dark green to bronze- or purple-colored leaves in a flat rosette, spreading fairly quickly by runners or stolons (Figure 1). Plant on 6 to 12-inch centers for quick establishment of a thick ground cover. Six-inch tall spikes of small blue flowers are produced in spring to early summer and are especially attractive when plants are massed together. There are selections with foliage variegated in green, white, red, yellow, and pink.
General Information
Figure 1.
Bugleweed.
Scientific name: Ajuga reptans
Pronunciation: uh-JOO-guh REP-tanz
Common name(s): Bugleweed, Carpet Bugleweed
Family: Lamiaceae
Plant type: ground cover; perennial; herbaceous
USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 10A (Fig. 2)
Planting month for zone 7: year round
Planting month for zone 8: year round
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: mass planting; container or above-ground planter; ground cover; edging
Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant
Figure 2.
Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Description
Height: 0 to 0.5 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 1 feet
Plant habit: prostrate (flat)
Plant density: dense
Growth rate: slow
Texture: medium
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: basal rosette
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: undulate
Leaf shape: ovate
Leaf venation: pinnate
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches
Leaf color: purple or red; variegated
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: pink
Flower characteristic: spring flowering
Fruit
Fruit shape: no fruit
Fruit length: no fruit
Fruit cover: no fruit
Fruit color: no fruit
Fruit characteristic: no fruit
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: not applicable
Current year stem/twig color: not applicable
Current year stem/twig thickness: not applicable
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun; plant grows in the shade
Soil tolerances: slightly alkaline; acidic; clay; sand; loam;
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerance: poor
Plant spacing: 6 to 12 inches
Other
Roots: not applicable
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding
Invasive potential: aggressive, spreading plant
Pest resistance: very sensitive to one or more pests or diseases which can affect plant health or aesthetics
Use and Management
Growing best in shady locations, Bugle Weed will tolerate full sun in the northern end of its range as long as it can be provided with moist, but not soggy, fertile soil. It looks best in small gardens or small spaces and in other enclosed areas where the tight foliage can cover the ground around or in front of small shrubs.
Available cultivars include: 'Multicoloris,' leaves mottled red, white, and yellow on green; 'Alba,' white flowers; 'Atropurpurea,' bronze foliage and blue flowers; 'Burgundy Glow,' new leaves bright burgundy-red, mature leaves cream/white and dark pink; 'Rubra,' rose flowers, more vigorous; 'Variegata,' grey-green leaves with cream markings.
Propagation is by division, rarely by seed.
Susceptible to nematodes on sandy soils.
Foliage of Bugleweed.
Pests and Diseases
Crown rot can occur on soggy soils.
Footnotes
This document is FPS 26, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October, 1999. Reviewed May, 2007. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611.
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