Carpet Bugleweed Plant

Lawrence plant it is an herbaceous flowering plant in the mint family native to europe it is invasive in parts of north america.

Carpet bugleweed plant.

It typically flowers from late spring to mid summer. Cut off the flower spikes in late summer after the flowers have faded. Space new plants 6 inches apart in shade to part shade. Ajuga reptans aka carpet bugleweed creeping bugleweed creeping carpet bugle sicklewort and carpenter s herb offers such striking texturally rich foliage in a broad range of colors including an almost black that gardeners are constantly seeking this perennial groundcover.

Plant this perennial where its invasive qualities are welcome such as on a bank or under trees. Plant bugleweed in an area where air circulation is good spacing the plants about 1 foot apart. How to grow bugleweed. Blooming in late spring to early summer the flowers rise above the contrasting spreading rosettes formed by the leaves putting on an eye catching display.

The plant also likes fairly moist soil but is remarkably adaptable and will even tolerate a little drought. To shear back a large area of bugleweed use a lawnmower set to a high blade height. Carpet bugleweed grows rapidly by producing mats of foliage in rosettes. Ajuga reptans commonly known as carpet bugleweed is a shade tolerant ground cover hardy to u s.

Good drainage is essential lest carpet bugleweed fall victim to a disease called crown rot. It is known as bugle weed and the more ground hugging species were the carpet bugles. Department of agriculture zones 4 through 10a. Latin names include ajuga reptans ajuga turkestanica and ajuga reptans atropurpurea.

To keep the plant under control rigorously prune runners twice a year. Unless it s really dry ajuga can usually sustain itself with normal rainfall and there s no need to fertilize this plant. Once established ajuga plants requires little care. The common name for the hardy perennial ajuga is bugleweed.

Ajuga reptans black scallop carpet bugle is a creeping perennial prized for its short spikes of fragrant deep blue flowers and very glossy near black scalloped leaves. Leaves may be green bronze dark purple or variegated green white and pink. Caring for carpet bugle plants. Runners develop from the mother plants take root and produce new plants similar to the growth habit of strawberries.

The genus was assigned by linnaeus from the latin for not yoked which refers to a certain part of the flower. Plants are easy to divide at any time of year. Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle blue bugle bugleherb bugleweed carpetweed carpet bugleweed and common bugle and traditionally but less commonly as st. Ajuga reptans is also a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures a biodiversity action.

Reptans from the latin for creeping which describes its growth habit. How to grow ajuga plants in your garden gardener s hq guide to growing bugleweed ground pine and carpet bugle.