Ajuga reptans
creeping bugle
Common names: bugleweed, creeping bugleweed
Photo: Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The creeping bugle, botanically *Ajuga reptans*, is a low groundcover with vivid blue flower spikes that appear from April to June, often already from mid‑April (week 16). Over its above‑ground runners it forms dense carpets, reliably filling gaps between perennials and shrubs. Bees and bumblebees are attracted to the flowers, making the bugle a valuable pollinator plant. It prefers semi‑shade to shade on fresh, humus‑rich soil and tolerates some foot traffic. In mild winters its foliage often remains green, providing structure in the bed even when surrounding plants are sparse.
Care instructions
Plant the bugle in spring or autumn in loose groups; it will close the area by itself within a few months. Keep the soil moderately moist at first until the runners have rooted; thereafter it tolerates short dry periods. Runners that grow beyond the desired area can be cut off with a spade and replanted elsewhere. After flowering prune back faded stands to keep the carpet compact. A thin leaf layer left in autumn protects the plant and supplies nutrients for spring growth.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
moist, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, loamy
Feeding
Light feeder
Notes from real gardens
What other gardeners have written down about this variety — anonymous, voluntary.
No notes shared yet. Will you be the first to write one down?