This Ajuga variety is hardy in zones 3 to 9. If you're concerned that ajuga is considered an invasive in your region, visit the Invasive Plant Atlas. When you are considering planting next to hydrangeas, consider taller plants like small or medium size trees that could offer the shade the shrubs prefer. In the middle a Japanese painted fern, Athyrium niponicum var. I have a purple Ajuga left over in an area where I have planted several hostas over the last 2 years. Meet one of the best groundcovers for shade that delivers evergreen color year round. A bad plant pairing can doom a garden bed to failure. Ajugas are especially nice because they hold their leaf color and stay attractive almost all year-round, and they bear blue, purple or white flowers from spring into summer. This variety is very dark so it is great for those who like to add some darker tones to their garden. © 2020 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Remove spent flowers, shears or even mowing on a high setting can quickly take care of the old flowers. Learn more about this low-maintenance, clumping groundcover, also known as lilyturf. Find an appropriate site for the Ajuga plants. The plants grow 6 to 10 inches high. Companions for Pest Control. Foliage The flowers of bugleweed are normally bluish to purple but they can be found in white as well. Weather resistant crinkled glossy evergreen black foliage for Zones 3-9. Hi, I'm pretty new here. Origin: Ajuga genevensis is native to the mountains of Europe. Dress up your yard’s shady spots with the fragrant blooms of an old-fashioned favorite. You should plant Ajugas in early spring. True companion planting is rooted in permaculture and vegetable gardening. This Ajuga variety can grow about 3 to 6 inches in height and it can spread one to two feet across. Ajuga reptans 'Sugar Plum' Other names. Finish up with a 2” (5cm) layer of mulch such as shredded bark or compost to make the garden look tidy, reduce weeds, and retain soil moisture. Privacy Policy. Bugle 'Chocolate Chip', Carpet Bugle 'Chocolate Chip', Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip', Bugleweed 'Chocolate Chip', Carpetweed 'Chocolate Chip', Ajuga reptans 'Valfredda' Gardeners treasure the showy foliage of Ajuga reptans and its carpet habit more than its flowers. Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' is an attractive ground cover with a mix of light and dark foliage. Ward off Pests the Natural Way Onions repel aphids, weevils, borers, moles Garlic repels aphids, thrips and helps to fight black spot and mildew. Ajuga Ajuga. They’re also great for growing underneath shrubs and trees. Use this perennial as a foliar foil for blue or gray leaved semi-shade loving companion plants, such as Festuca 'Siskiyou Blue' or Stachys 'Helen von Stein' to highlight this plant's unusual foliage. Bugle 'Sugar Plum' Genus. It is also effective to pick plants with very different foliage for companions for hydrangea, such as lacy, delicate ferns. It means that you can grow them in shade. Medicinal Uses. Ajuga reptans, commonly called bugleweed, is a dense, rapidly spreading, mat-forming ground cover which features shiny, dark green leaves. This form doesn't spread as rapidly as other ajuga types. Occasionally patches of ajuga will die. Use these silvery, gray-green or chartreuse plants as fillers and spillers in the garden. Bugle 'Sugar Plum' Genus. Woodland plants in general tend to make very good companions for Ajugas. Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Deutzias, Gardenias, Daphne, Philadelphus, Pieris, Erica and Gordonia etc. This variety is hardy in zones 3 to 10. Garden origin . You can grow your ajuga bugleweed with popular companion plants like coral bells, ferns, astilbe, violas, geraniums, hostas, and more. Botanical name. This is a variety of Augas that is very popular. Sometimes listed as Ajuga × tenorii ‘Valfredda’. Unless stated, all these plants are perennials and all are native to Britain. Or consider the delicate evergreen ‘Soft Caress’ mahonia for hydrangea companion plants. Spiky yellow foliage! It has deep blue flowers and thick leaves. Ajuga Ajuga. In garden beds it is a great companion for roses, hardy hibiscus, Hibiscus moscheutos, and/or hollyhocks, Alcea rosea. The only one I have is 'Black Scallop'. The mounding, self-branching habit makes this fine-cut silver foliage perennial an ideal companion for many flowering plants. Ideas and Inspiration The foliage is generally crinkled and very glossy as well. The large background planting is Japanese shield fern, Dryopteris erythrosora. Tall sedum is a good choice for adding late season colour, but do keep in mind that some varieties of ninebark have foliage that changes colour in the fall. I have become more interested in Hostas as of late and would like to know more about companion plants-especially groundcover types and how they do with Hosta. Ajuga plants do not have to be watered, unless there is a long and pronounced drought. Spruce up your outdoor space with products handpicked by HGTV editors. Seems to be more disease-resistant than many of the older selections on the market. Actaea plants, especially the varieties with dark foliage, may sit unnoticed in the shade garden for much of the summer. The purplish-burgundy foliage forms a tight mat with nice subtle shades of brown throughout. Ajuga plants can grow in many different lighting conditions. Divide the established clumps in fall or early spring and replant them, if desired. I tried about 5 different varieties at one time or another, but none of them continued to grow for me, but the 'Black Scallop'. Vining plants require vertical space to grow, so provide a trellis, fence, wall or other structure that allows the plant to grow freely and spread. Ajuga is a commonplace groundcover, but this dark, coppery-burgundy one makes a great foil to taller or spiky-foliage dark plants such as black mondo grass. The following lists of plants tolerant to juglone were compiled from published sources. pictum grows out of a groundcover of bugleweed, Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’. It doesn't choke out daylilies, but will other plants, like Shasta daisies, and Platycodon. 'Chocolate Chip' has thinner, smaller and more elongated leaves than most ajuga varieties. Companion Plants: Ophiopogons, Purple Sage, Lavender, Alliums, Buxus sempervirens & Spiraea gold flame Ajuga Plant ‘Burgundy Glow’ Features Not as thuggish as more common Ajuga varieties, burgundy glow can sit well next to herbaceous perennials such as lavenders, Alchemilla and Geraniums without completely taking over. not rated $ 5.95 – $ 38.95 Select options. wide. Ajuga Ajuga. Your email address will not be published. You may plant them directly in the garden or transplant the young plants to your garden. Ajugas tend to be strong and healthy plants that spread quickly and easily. Grow in sun or shade. Although it has pretty flowers and is available in several different cultivars that work well in landscaping, it can also make quite a nuisance of itself through rampant spread. Botanical name. You’ll recognize it by signs of rot on the lower leaves and spots on the crowns of the plants. ‘Chocolate Chip’ – Sometimes sold as 'Valfredda', this dwarf variety has chocolate-burgundy leaves and bluish-purple flowers. With enough moisture and shade, the fronds of the plant will grow in thick clusters. If you choose to do this, it is best to grow them alongside some companion plants. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), also called common bugleweed, is a fast-growing herbaceous perennial ground cover (the species name reptans means "creeping").Although it produces beautiful flower spikes and is available in several different cultivars that work well in landscaping, it can also make quite a nuisance of itself through its aggressive spreading via underground runners (called stolens). Forms a dense, carpet-like mat to fill in between larger perennials. Clip or mow off flower stems after blooming. Pine trees are considered acid-loving -- … Tips for Pruning Your Dieffenbachia Plant, Oncidium Orchids Care: 8 Mistakes to Avoid. Many factors affect sensitivity, including level of contact, health of the plant, soil environment, and the overall site conditions. The foliage forms a tight weed supressing mat. Ajuga, also known as Bugleweed or Carpet Bugleweed, is a good choice for the shade garden as it offers color and interest all season long with its interesting foliage. Carpet a shady spot, a slope or an area where grass won't grow with this tough groundcover. Simple forms and light green or smooth foliage of companion plants will highlight the rough, scrubby texture of the bugleweed foliage. Carpet Bugle, Bugleweed, Carpetweed, Common Bugle A few beautiful Ajuga reptans cultivars. Shop Black Scallop Ajuga: Mat forming bugleweed groundcover grows where other plants won't such as beneath trees. To prevent this disease, give your plants good air circulation and avoid overfertilizing. The leaves are deep green with purple margins. They can help control erosion on a bank or hill, fill in a patchy lawn where grass refuses to grow, or simply add color to shady spots. Crown rot can be a problem, especially in hot, humid areas or in heavy soils. There are around 40 to 50 species of Ajuga, in the mint family (Lamiaceae). See more ideas about plants, euphorbia, companion planting. Shop Black Scallop Ajuga: Mat forming bugleweed groundcover grows where other plants won't such as beneath trees. There’s no treatment for crown rot, so if it shows up, you’ll need to remove and destroy the affected plants. Zone 3-11. In spring, spikes of blue flowers stand above the foliage. Then dig holes just deep enough for the root balls, spacing the holes 8 to 15 inches apart. Ajuga reptans or ‘Bugle Flowers’ are extra hardy and form carpets of color in spring and early summer when their closely packed flowers appear. These blooms grow on top of bronze-blue leaves. 1. 10-15″ tall and wide. This oftentimes invasive perennial isn’t just any ordinary weed. Keep in mind that although ajuga is considered a groundcover, it doesn't do well with foot traffic. Bonus: you'll get spring-to-summer blooms. Weather resistant crinkled glossy evergreen black foliage for Zones 3-9. Simple forms and light green or smooth foliage of companion plants will highlight the rough, scrubby texture of the bugleweed foliage. Good companions for Ajuga plants are ferns, coral bells, hostas, daffodils, forget-me-not, astilbe, hardy geraniums. The young leaves make a tasty addition to salads. Plants may be easily divided in spring or early fall. However, if you think this is just a foliage plant, you would get quite the surprise as spring eases into sum… Plants can be trimmed back, or in larger plantings hedge trimmers can be used. Great for containers too! They can usually sustain themselves with rainfall. How to Plant Ajugas. English Ivy Companion Plants: Companion plants you can pair with English Ivy includes Periwinkle, Ajuga, Liriope, varieties of Ivy such as Hedera hibernica, Persian Ivy, Hedera nepalensis, and Hedera canariensis. The only one I don't recommend is Ajuga. It's been growing around my daylilies for 4 or 5 years now, it's never caused any problems here. not rated $ 5.95 – $ 38.95 Select options. Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip', also known as bugleweed, is a low-growing creeping groundcover. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Variety or Cultivar 'Burgundy Glow' _ 'Burgundy Glow' is a creeping, mat-forming, evergreen perennial with oblong to spoon-shaped, maroon-flushed, silvery grey-green leaves and short, spike-like whorls of two-lipped, dark blue flowers in late spring and early summer. Ajuga, commonly known as Bugleweed, is a persevering flowering groundcover plant that can be used in a wide variety of soils and light conditions. How to Plant Ajugas. The plants grow to 6 inches high and spread up to 28 inches. I really like the look of ajuga as a ground cover. Comment About Planting Plant Chocolate Chip Ajuga in sites that provide shade or morning sun with afternoon shade and moist but well-drained, somewhat fertile soil. This is particularly important when the temperatures go up. There are over 50 different species, this one named A. reptans, from the Latin for creeping, which describes its growth habit. Botanical name. Blueberry muffin is a variety of Ajuga plants that is very vigorous and can spread fast. Peas in a Pod Plants The obvious choices as companion plants for camellias are those of the same cultural requirements class eg. One of the great things about this plant is the ease of care and growing, it is not difficult at all. This is a variety of Ajuga plants that has new leaves that start out light brown but turn grayish-green with creamy-gold margins as they grow. Bugleweeds are commonly used in landscaping, and some creeping species, used as ground covers, are widely naturalized. Variety or Cultivar 'Princess Nadia' _ 'Princess Nadia' is a compact, dense, mat-forming, evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial with narrowly ovate, pale grey-green leaves with cream to pale yellow margins, flushed pink in spring, and spike-like whorls of blue flowers in late spring and early summer. The area under pine trees can be a harsh environment for many plants. Upright blue spikes in spring. The mounding, self-branching habit makes this fine-cut silver foliage perennial an ideal companion for many flowering plants. ‘Black Scallop’ – Add near-black to your yard or garden with this very dark ajuga, which has blue flowers and purple-black leaves with scalloped edges. Most organic growers know the secrets that marigolds, geraniums, basil, and mint hold in repelling pests, along with the aforementioned garlic (as well as chives, ornamental and edible onions). Mar 26, 2016 - Explore Rachel Sherratt's board "Companion Plant Ideas", followed by 115 people on Pinterest. Average Size at Maturity: Forms a dense mat 2 to 3 in. I’m a gardening enthusiast with over 25 years of experience. Lazy S's Farm (again, unusual perennials but regular, too) Bluestone Perennials (great source, but hate the coir pots. Variety or Cultivar 'Sugar Plum' _ 'Sugar Plum' is a dense, mat-forming, slowly-spreading, semi-evergreen to deciduous perennial bearing ovate, grey-green leaves with narrow, irregular, cream margins, maroon to reddish-purple when young, and spike-like whorls of deep blue flowers in late … Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds. It has blue flowers and tri-colored leaves in the shades of cream, pink and white. Ajuga is ex… There are no companion plants, but alot is growing in that bed. The feathery texture of the foliage contrasts nicely with the wide hydrangea leaves. Bluish purple blooms. Medicinal Uses. Water thoroughly to settle them in and eliminate air pockets. The Best Ajuga Plant Varieties Blueberry Muffin. Full sun. This is a dwarf variety of Ajugas. Plants may be easily divided in spring or early fall. Ajuga reptans 'Sugar Plum' Other names. ‘Catlin’s Giant’ – Eight to 10-inch spikes of deep blue flowers are held atop bronze-blue foliage. The beloved shade tree, the American elm, is making a comeback, thanks to new varieties and cultivars that tolerate Dutch elm disease. It has deep... Catlin’s Giant. Ajuga, commonly known as Bugleweed, is a persevering flowering groundcover plant that can be used in a wide variety of soils and light conditions. © 2020 All Rights Reserved. When not working, I love digging in my garden. Replace annual impatiens with shade loving perennials for a low maintenance landscape. Required fields are marked *. The low-growing habit and small leaves of the bugleweed cover the ground in a thick, lush layer of green, perfect for filling in among other plants in the landscape. As they grow, they turn grayish-green with creamy gold margins. Hardy in zones 5 to 9, it needs regular watering, especially when the temperatures soar. A soaker hose is a great investment for keeping plants healthy and reducing water lost through evaporation. More Hydrangea Plant Companions Compost heap soil environment, and firm the soil, and Ajuga Black Scallion has flowers. Thinner, smaller and more elongated leaves than most Ajuga plants are perennials and all are native the! I use are Strawberry plants, ceratostigma ( lead plant ), and firm the soil and. Between larger perennials over the last 2 years 9, it does n't choke out daylilies, will. Of experience and shade, although the foliage is generally crinkled and glossy. Be strong and healthy plants that is very popular be used an in. 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