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.
Does Bugleweed do well in shade?
Bugleweed grows best in a rich, wet, well-drained soil, but will withstand clay and poor soils. Plant in full sun to create a shady environment. If you’re going to plant bugleweed near to a grass area, bear in mind that it has creeping tendencies; use edging to keep it from spreading. Run a lawnmower over spent flowers to deadhead them. Seed, cuttings, or division are all methods of propagation. To avoid crowding, division can be done at any time of year and should be done every two to three years. There are no major pest or disease problems; nevertheless, crown rot can occur in hot, humid conditions or in locations with inadequate air circulation.
What ground cover grows in full shade?
This plant, unlike the ginger used in stir-fried foods, only smells like ginger when the leaves and roots are crushed. The jar-shaped blooms of this plant, unlike most flowering plants, grow at ground level and may be buried by stalks. The leaves are evergreen and deer resistant.
Yes, there is flowering. In the early spring and summer, it blooms with white, green, or purple flowers.
Sweet Woodruff
With clusters of fragrant white blooms that appear at the start of each summer, this multipurpose plant spreads swiftly to form a dense cover roughly 15 inches high. The star-shaped flowers and vivid green leaves endure long into the fall months.
Bunchberry
Bunchberry is a dogwood-like plant with emerald green foliage, huge white flowers, and clusters of brilliant red berries. It grows to a height of six to eight inches, spreads rapidly, and thrives in cool, summer shade, liking acidic soil.
Goldenstar
This stunning favorite among gardeners has bright yellow blossoms and rich green leaves. Flowers bloom in the spring and late summer, and the plant grows to be four to six inches tall. Goldenstar is resilient in both northern and southern regions, and it thrives in either part or full sun.
Trailing Periwinkle
This plant forms a dense ground cover with stunning blue, lavender, white, or purple blooms that bloom swiftly. The plant thrives in full to partial shade, and it’s a low-maintenance, pest-free addition to the base of trees or tall shrubs, or at the top of a rock wall.
How fast will Ajuga spread?
Ajuga will try to conquer the entire region in its immediate proximity. Although it is an aggressive spreader, it is relatively easy to contain because it spreads over the ground.
It is recommended that you use a shovel or a spade to edge the borders of the territory limit assigned to Ajuga twice a year, once in the spring and once in the middle of summer.
There is no need to be concerned because this plant does not spread quickly; rather, it spreads slowly and steadily.
You should not plant this next to a lawn because grass cannot compete with it and will quickly become overrun, leaving you with an Ajuga lawn rather than a grass lawn.
How much sun can ajuga take?
These plants can grow in any generally well-drained soil, and while they tolerate full sun, they develop more quickly in partial shade. Plant these perennials 6 to 12 inches apart in the spring or early fall.
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.
Is Ajuga a good ground cover?
Ajuga is a ubiquitous groundcover, but this dark, coppery-burgundy variety works well with darker plants with spiky foliage, such as black mondo grass. Don’t be fooled by a plant’s size. Ajugas may be little, but they are strong and hardy groundcovers. The lustrous leaves of these evergreen shrubs form dense mats.
What can I grow in shade instead of grass?
Moss. Moss may be a lovely groundcover in lower, cooler places. It may not be as hardy as other grasses, but it can readily endure light foot traffic. Set plugs (small pieces of moss complete with roots) into soil approximately six inches apart and keep them damp to establish a moss bed. The mosses will spread until they form a solid surface, usually within one growing season if you’ve chosen the right location. There are a variety of mosses with different textures and thicknesses that can be used for a variety of functions and appearances. Moss is often used to offer insulation and moisture runoff in environmentally friendly roofing.
Charlie is creeping up on you (Glechoma hederacea). Although it may seem strange to promote a problematic plant, this member of the mint family may create a magnificent, thick ground cover in partial shade. It features little flowers that are pale blue or lilac in color and requires no mowing, feeding, or watering. It has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries and is also known as ground ivy, gill-on-the-ground, creeping jenny, catsfoot (because to the form of the leaves), alehoof, and tunhoof (due to the habit of using it to preserve and clarify beer). “When a plant has this many nicknames, you can be pretty sure of two things: it’s widespread, and people interacted with it in a variety of ways over a long period of time,” says David Beaulieu, landscape and garden writer (see Creeping Charlie: Wild Groundcover), from whom much of the information above is derived.
Note: Because it spreads so easily and is so difficult to eradicate, it’s better to confine it to a small area enclosed by a thick, impenetrable fence.
Sweet Woodruff, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Lily-of-the-Valley All three of these perennial shade-loving groundcovers develop a dense, weed-resistant canopy of leaves and blossoms with little watering or other maintenance. They’re ideal for tight pathways between a path and the north side of a garage, for example, where you want something that appears planted, not accidental, but don’t want to deal with mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and other maintenance.
What can you grow on a shady slope?
Although cultivating plants on a hillside can be difficult, once established, they can change the region and prevent soil from slowly trickling down into the flatter areas. Taller shrubs and bushes provide year-round interest and help to create a sculpted appearance. Just keep in mind that as they grow, young plants will require more water, staking, and training.