Ajuga, sometimes known as “Carpet Bugleweed,” is a tiny, evergreen plant that is popular among gardeners. Its allure is in its waxy, weed-suppressing leaf, which spreads quickly even in deep shade where grass won’t grow. Ajuga comes in a variety of hues and grows to a height of 6 to 12 inches, making it an excellent ground cover for creating a “blooming carpet.” Ajuga is also deer resistant and low-maintenance, and it can be used to reduce erosion.
Do animals eat Ajuga?
Some ground coverings, like lilyturf, are invasive. Before using these plants, you’ll have to evaluate your worries about deer management against any issues about their invasiveness. These ground covers, like lilyturf, are such fast growth that you may want to keep them in check:
- This invasive plant, also known as ajuga (Ajuga reptans), is not eaten by invading deer, making it valuable for deer management. It blooms in a bluish-purple color. Ajuga may be planted in zones 3 to 10, and it usually stays short, though it does gain a few inches when in flower. Ajuga is a simple plant to growalmost too simple. It may grow in full sun or partial shade, and it doesn’t mind what kind of soil it’s in as long as it has proper drainage. It will grow into a dense mat with both lovely foliage and blooms. However, it will appear all over the terrain, frequently in unwelcome locations.
- Vinca minor, often known as creeping myrtle or periwinkle vinca vine, is a perennial ground cover used as a grass substitute in grassy areas and as a deer deterrent. Creeping myrtle, which grows in zones 4 to 8, requires good drainage. This shade-loving, deer-resistant ground cover is frequently planted under huge trees, where a lawn grass would have quickly died due to a lack of sunshine. The vine of the creeping myrtle grows just 3 to 6 inches above the ground, but its trailing stems with evergreen leaves can reach up to 18 inches in length. As the stems creep along the ground, they root at the nodes and spread quickly to make an attractive ground cover. It’s appealing, but it’s also intrusive. Keep it under control to avoid it spreading to places you don’t want it to. In the spring, the creeping myrtle produces a bluish-lavender flower, which blooms intermittently throughout the summer.
- Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum) and yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) are close relatives. Both are invasive (yellow archangel is the worst culprit), variegated, shade-loving perennials with poor drainage. Landscapers who want to keep deer out can use them. They grow 1 to 2 feet tall with a similar spread and may be cultivated in zones 4 to 9. Deadnettle has purplish or white flowers, whereas yellow archangel has yellow flowers. Both are renowned for their leaves. The leaves of the yellow archangel have a medium green tint with silver splotches. The silver content of deadnettle leaves is higher than the green content. Both are considered good plants for dry shade once established.
Does Ajuga spread quickly?
Ajuga reptans, sometimes known as carpet bugleweed, is a prominent ground cover. It spreads rapidly by runners, forming a mat of dark green leaves 2 to 3 inches across in full sun and 3 to 4 inches wide in part shade. In full sun, selections with bronze or metallic-tinted leaves hold their color the best. The flowers, which are usually blue, are borne on spikes that are 4 to 5 inches tall. Early May to mid-June is when the plant blooms. Set aside established plants in the spring and they will cover the soil in one growing season. Plants should not be planted too deeply. It’s never a good idea to hide the crown. Runner plants can be dug out and replaced in the spring or early fall from established plantings.
Ajuga genevensis (Geneva carpet Bugleweed) is a perennial rock garden plant that grows 5 to 14 inches tall. It has grayish, hairy stems and coarse-toothed leaves up to 3 inches long that do not spread via runners. Blue flower spikes are the most common, but rose and white varieties are also available. Because it spreads more slowly than A. reptans, this upright species is gaining popularity. It is more sun tolerant than other Ajuga species.
Ajuga pyramidalis (Upright Bugleweed) is a 2 to 10 inch tall erect plant. Runners are not involved in the propagation of this disease. Many roundish, 11/2 to 4-inch long leaves grow from the stems, which contain long grey hairs. The huge purple bracts appear to press against the blue blooms on the flower spikes, which are 4 to 6 inches long.
Is Ajuga plant invasive?
Don’t be fooled by a plant’s size. Ajugas may be little, but they are strong and hardy groundcovers. They can help with erosion control on a bank or slope, fill in a patchy lawn where grass won’t grow, or simply offer color to shaded areas. They’re also excellent for planting beneath bushes and trees.
Ajugas are very attractive because their leaf color and attractiveness last virtually all year, and they produce blue, purple, or white blooms from spring to summer. Ajuga reptans, sometimes known as carpetweed or bugleweed, is a perennial that thrives in zones 3 to 9.
The lustrous leaves of these evergreen shrubs form dense mats. They can tolerate full sun to partial shade, but full sun brings out the greatest color in the leaf. Ajugas are easy to cultivate in practically any type of soil and prefer a moist, well-draining environment, but they can endure dryness for short periods of time.
Because ajuga spreads through stolons, or horizontal stems that creep along the ground, it’s important to consider where you plant it. This mint family member spreads quickly and can become invasive. Planting too close to flower beds, lawns, or other areas where you’ll have to remove it frequently is a bad idea. If you’re worried that ajuga is an invasive plant in your area, check out the Invasive Plant Atlas.
Plant ajugas when all dangers of frost have passed. Then, spacing the holes 8 to 15 inches apart, dig holes just deep enough for the root balls. Gently loosen the roots of the plants, then plant them and firm the dirt around them. To settle them in and eliminate air pockets, water them thoroughly. Fertilizing ajugas is rarely necessary.
To keep your ajugas from becoming overloaded, you should thin them every three years or so. If desired, divide and replant established clumps in the fall or early spring.
Crown rot is an issue, particularly in hot, humid climates or in heavy soils. It’s easy to notice since the lower leaves have rot and spots on the tops of the plants. Give your plants plenty of air circulation and avoid overfertilizing to avoid this illness. Crown rot has no treatment, therefore if it appears, you’ll have to uproot and destroy the damaged plants. When it’s time to replant, consider a new type of groundcover to reduce the chances of the problem reappearing.
Patches of ajuga will occasionally die. If this occurs, remove the dead leaves but leave the roots in place. In most cases, the plants will return the next year.
Ajugas are low-maintenance plants with good rabbit and deer resistance. They don’t need to be pruned, but if you want them to look a little neater after the blooms fade, mow them using a high setting on your mower.
Try coral bells, hostas, ferns, daffodils, astilbe, forget-me-not, violas, hardy geraniums, and other woodland species if your ajugas are in the shadow.
Is Ajuga the same as bugleweed?
You can’t go wrong with ajuga (Ajuga reptans), often known as carpet bugleweed, if you’re searching for something nice to quickly fill in a huge area. This creeping evergreen shrub quickly fills in vacant spaces, smothering weeds and providing stunning foliage and blossoms. It’s also useful for preventing erosion.
Bugleweed flowers are often bluish to purple in color, but they can also be white. In addition to the conventional green leaves, this ground cover may also give gorgeous copper or purple-colored foliage to the landscape, making it ideal for year-round appeal. A variegated version is also available.
Does Ajuga choke other plants?
There’s no doubting that Bishop’s Weed in variegated form is a lovely plant. It thrives in shady areas where splotches of white are needed to liven things up. But you’ll never be able to enjoy just a smidgeon of Bishop’s Weed. Its roots form a dense mat as it grows, suffocating any neighboring vegetation. While this may sound like a good way to keep weeds at bay, it will eventually take over your garden plants as well.
Bishop’s Weed was initially labeled as invasive in Rhode Island in 1863, although you can still get it for sale. You may probably determine it’s a member of the carrot family by looking at the white, umbel blossoms, which look a lot like Queen Anne’s Lace. The plant does attract helpful insects, so it has some virtues, but it is simply the incorrect plant for many situations.
If you’ve already planted Bishop’s Weed and regret it, the best way to get rid of it is to use up all of your resources. In the early spring, cut it as short as possible and cover the area with plastic. The plants are unable to photosynthesize, receive insufficient water, and are overheated. They ultimately give up, even if it takes a long time.
Goutweed (a mashup of goat weedgoats will eat it) and Snow on the Mountain are other names for Bishop’s Weed.
Seeds
Planting seeds is one technique to begin propagating ajuga plants. Sow ajuga plant seeds in containers in the fall or spring if you chose to do so. Simply apply a small layer of compost to the seeds and keep the soil moist.
In a month or less, the seeds germinate. Individual plants should be pricked out and placed in larger containers. Move the young plants to your garden beds in the summer.
Division
Stolons, which are underground runners, spread Ajuga. The plant is rooted in neighboring soil by these runners, which create clumps. The ajuga clumps will soon get overcrowded, and their strength will wane. Now is the moment to lift and divide them so that you can have more ajuga plants.
Ajuga division propagation is best done in the early spring or late fall. It’s a straightforward procedure. Simply dig up the clumps, pull or chop them apart into smaller portions, and transplant them in a different spot.
You may also just chop away large portions of plant mats similar to lawn sod and relocate them.
How do you control an ajuga ground cover?
Using impermeable black plastic sheeting, cover huge portions of ajuga to be removed (weed mulch or heavy garbage bags). Leave the area alone for at least four weeks after anchoring it with rocks. This deprives the plant of both light and water, severely limiting its ability to thrive.
Will bulbs grow through ajuga?
Even though the chrome-yellow blooms necessitate a quieter bulb hue, an established bed of pachysandra, ajuga, or perennial candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) can easily support spring bulbs, as can perennial alyssum. Plant spring-blooming bulbs in October and November if your ground cover is looking a little drab.
To use existing ground cover to create the combination, dive immediately into the bed, pull aside the ground cover, excavate an area, and plant spring bloomers in groups of three to eleven. Bulbs nestle neatly into tight spaces, blooming even from the tiniest of openings. Ground covers are wonderfully complemented by the color and texture of their leaves.
Tall yellow daffodils in bunches under low-growing cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri), which grows to 8 inches tall with beautiful green foliage, was a particularly effective combination in one garden. Alternatively, if planting both in a new bed at the same time, space the cotoneaster approximately 3 feet apart and plant clumps of bulbs in between.
With all sorts of spring bulbs, the natural emergence of herbaceous perennials produces superb leaf and blossom effect as spring progresses. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is one among the best, having rounded mid-green leaves and an excellent capacity to fill in as an edger. Spring bulbs do not need to be totally covered or surrounded by perennials, but a good edging plant can help show off the bulbs’ natural leaves.
The hardy geranium family is another excellent “edger and weaver,” with rounded leaves and flowers ranging from dark purple to lightest white. These, too, can be planted at the same time as the bulbs.
By April, groups of perennials, ranging from delphinium leaves to yarrow, will surround the late daffodils and mid-spring tulips.
Can you walk on Ajuga?
It’s true that good things come in small packages. Ajuga, for example, grows only a few inches tall but provides a dazzling display of color in your garden. This easy-care walking groundcover plant, sometimes known as bugleweed, is prized for its ability to carpet your yard with colorful foliage over time. Ajuga produces blue, purple, or white flower spikes in the spring above a base of bronze, chocolate, brilliant green, or bicolor foliage. Ajuga grows well in pots as well.