Perennial Profile: Ajuga

Catlin's Giant

Ajuga, or bugleweed as it's commonly called, is one of those plants that looks pretty unassuming in pots on the nursery bench. However, once established in the garden, this plant easily becomes a must have.

Grown primarily for it's foliage, ajuga comes in a variety of colors from green to black to burgundy and from fine textured leaves to very large leaves. In addition to it's gorgeous foliage, the blue flower spikes in spring are stunning and an added bonus to it's glossy, rich foliage. 

Growing 6-10 inches tall and spreading 12-24 inches, ajuga is an excellent ground cover and perfect for difficult areas where other plants won't grow. It prefers light to partial shade for best foliage color but will tolerate full shade or full sun although leaves may become scorched in direct sunlight. It's not terrible fussy about soil as long as it's not soggy.

Catlin's Giant

Ajuga is a dense and vigorous plant which will smother out all but the most tenacious weeds. The plant can be divided at any time of the season and needs little care. As long as it gets adequate snow cover in the winter (not a problem here!), this plant doesn't need any additional mulching in the fall. As with most vigorous plants, ajuga may spread to places where you'd rather not have it such as your lawn. Fortunately, unwanted plants are easily removed and can be contained with simple edging. However, don't let the vigor frighten you off this plant! It's not an aggressively fast growing plant so isn't likely to get out of control before you know it. It's these attributes that make it the perfect ground cover for those difficult places. 

The dramatic foliage and low growing habit of this plant make it a great companion to hostas, astilbe and coral bells. It grows well in rock gardens and along pathways. Don't overlook this gem of a plant when planning your garden beds. You'll love the dramatic foliage and easy growing habit of this plant and be pleasantly surprised with its bright blue blooms in the spring--a welcome addition to any garden!