This is best done in spring or fall when there is no chance of frost. Avoid overhead watering and water in the mornings so the leaves have time to dry, as ajuga is prone to powdery mildew. Keep an eye out for non-variegated leaves if you have a variegated Ajuga. I have had ajuga for several years. Transplant shock, root damage and pruning are other causes of leaf curl. The purplish-green, stalked leaves are in opposite pairs. Chocolate chip bugleweed is an evergreen, ground-hugging herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. I will replant grass next year but am so glad to get it out of the lawn. Like many garden plants, ajuga can be infested with aphids. Most Ajuga are evergreen throughout most of their growing range and will require little if any pruning. At the base of the petiole, a soft, brown, mushy rot can be visible, occasionally accompanied by white fungal threads. The only thing I can think of is that squirrels ate it. Some of the miniature varieties make great additions to trough gardens and containers. 17 Best Shade Plants to Add Color to Your Landscape, The 17 Best Shade Perennials for Gardens That Overflow with Color, 19 Beautiful Plants That Rabbits Don't Like, 25 Low-Maintenance Groundcover Plants that Look Great in Any Yard, 12 Tough Perennials That Grow in Dry Shade, 14 Beautiful Shrubs for Shade that Will Brighten Up Your Yard, How to Grow and Care for Perennial Geranium, 19 Hard-to-Kill Perennials That Promise Unstoppable Color Every Year, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Groundcover, Slope/Erosion Control. Dont judge a plant by its size. I dug up a 12 foot circle two years ago to only find it back and larger. Fast-growing, Ajuga reptans 'Blueberry Muffin' (Carpet Bugle) is a vigorous evergreen perennial prized for its blueberry-blue flowers and thick leaves, which quickly form a dense mat of attractive rosettes. How Do You Harvest Russian Kale so It Keeps Growing? Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Start seeds indoors in the early spring. Ajugas may be small, but these little groundcovers are durable and tough. David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. Peach leaf curl is a disease caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans, reports Sustainable Gardening Australia. Once established, plants can tolerate some dryness but one inch of water per week should be sufficient. Even runner plants will flourish in a well-drained medium with plenty of organic matter. Known also as bugle, bugle plant or bugleweed, Ajuga reptans is a versatile plant that can be used in containers as well as to cover . A variety of strategies is required for effective management. Joanne Jensen | Gardening & The Great Outdoors. If the illness spreads or has destroyed much of the planting, its time to start over with disease-free plants in a different area. Plant the individual plants in new locations. The leaves yellow and wilt as the disease spreads. Zones 3-9. comment about the website as a whole, please leave it in my Water the plants with at least 1 inch of water a week in the summer; more if necessary to keep the soil moist. They look overgrown and the leaves are curling. Plant growth may be stunted in some circumstances, although the plants may still produce blooms, albeit in small numbers. To help manage the disease, fungicides like flutolanil or thiophanate-methyl based fungicides like Cleary 3336 or Fungo are available, however they may not be widely available to the home grower. Bonus: you'll get spring-to-summer blooms. Ajuga cultivated in containers is just as beneficial and brightens up a pot when other plants havent bloomed or have faded back. Although the blue flowers are prominent, they don't have any fragrance. I forgot to save the name tag and for years been looking for these again! This family thrives in a variety of lighting conditions, from partial shade to full sun. Try to avoid using chemical herbicides near ajuga, they seem to promote rot in existing plants.Crown and Roots Rot; Odor Present is Caused by Crown RotSoil-dwelling fungi cause this serious disease, which can kill plants within a few days. I bought 3 of these plants a few years ago, desperate to have something grow in a shady area that gets NO sun at my parents' house. Is the ajuga reptans a long flowering plant ? When a plant gets a virus, you'll notice the plant leaves curling inward. Evergreen in most regions, it is perfect for planting between stepping stones or in wall crevices. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. When you spray 2,4-D on unwanted plants, the herbicide may drift further than intended. HELP PLEASE!!! And while it will tolerate dry shade, it does prefer moderately fertile well-drained soil. Or can you plant in the late spring or early summer? This disease thrives in moist soils, therefore the name molds that grow in water. They do not require a lesion in the plant to cause infection, unlike many other diseases. Here's how to propagate the gold dust plant: With sharp, clean pruners, take a cutting of about four inches and remove the lower leaves. Joanne Jensen is a renowned gardener with over 45 years of experience in the gardening industry. long (15 cm), which quickly form a dense mat of attractive rosettes. There is a wide range of cultivars to choose from, including with green, bronze-purple or marbled foliage. Marsden, Christy. Bugleweed prefers medium moisture, well-drained soils with a good amount of organic matter. What companion plants can I grow with bugleweed? It produces shiny, dark green leaves and beautiful flower spikes, producing blue, violet, or purple flowers in mid- to late-spring that can reach eight to ten inches tall, although the flower spikes on some cultivars are shorter. Small, 1/8 inch long, whitish woolly aphids are inside the leaves. This disease is spread by tools and water and can be introduced into the garden on diseased plants or soil. I have been searching like a madwoman, intent on finding a name to these plants that are scattered all over my lawn. Remove sick plants and carefully remove the surrounding soil to a depth of 6-8 inches, replacing it with non-contaminated soil. These plants chocolate-colored leaves are a deep shade of brown with burgundy highlights. When the seedlings are viable, pot them up into larger containers. ), how they produce seeds to replenish themselves, etc. I bought a four inch pot of ajuga about ten years ago. Ajuga (which is also known as Bugleweed) is a great ground cover for shady sites. 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. Small-space gardening is a great way to bring some greenery into your apartment and connect with nature. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. We have to weedeat our whole hill! It is tough to remove the disease because it is found in the soil. Theres no treatment for crown rot, so if it shows up, youll need to remove and destroy the affected plants. The leaves of the ash tree curl and deform. If youre using Ajuga as a grass substitute, mow it on the highest setting on your mower. Ajuga reptans is a sprawling perennial herb [2] with erect flowering stems and grows to a height of about 10 to 35 cm (4 to 14 in). What Do You Do with Bugleweed ~ How To Propagate? When it is needed, apply an all-purpose granular fertilizer. Ajuga reptans 'Burgundy Glow' The leaves are purple-tinged throughout the year, but get even darker in winter Excellent evergreen groundcover, blooms early-mid spring. It is resilient, fuss-free, and produces a large number of plants each season. When is the best time to plant your ajuga first of spring. Is there a simple way to be able to cross-breed this with another specimen right at home? Allow roughly a foot of space between each plant when establishing it, unless you desire rapid groundcover. Will ajuga choke out my hostaalready read they will not compete with the ferns. The plant has runners that spread across the surface of the ground. To prevent this disease, give your plants good air circulation and avoid overfertilizing. We have clay soil and it is part-shade up there. What are the possible causes of this situation? Ajuga is known to give off a scent that repels rabbits and deer andto a lesser extentsquirrels and chipmunks. Occasionally, the voles/moles damage the root system, allowing rapid weed growth before the plant can reestablish in the spring. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Morning feeding is best, and make sure to rinse off any fertilizer granules from the leaves. Register now But save yourself alot of hard work & try the general broad leaf weed killer spray first if you're tring to get rid of it. Because ajuga naturalizes easily, spreading by stolons, or horizontal stems that creep along the ground, you'll want to think about where you plant it. Feed the plants twice per year, beginning in early spring and again two months later. See our favorite shrubs that flower and flourish in the shadows. The easiest strategy to avoid Phytophthora crown rots is to reduce the quantity of moisture in the soil. The flowers appear in late spring on 6-inch spikes with a plant spread of 12 18 inches. Get our best gardening advice and outdoor ideas delivered straight to your inbox. Overall, the color of the fancy foliage is at its best with a half day of sun. The plants grow 6 to 10 inches high. It may be harder to get Ajuga to bloom indoors. Feeding is rarely necessary unless the plant is growing in poor soil. Learn More, 2023 Melinda Myers All rights reserved | Bugleweed spreads quite aggressively so plant it where it won't creep into other areas of your garden or lawn. This article has more information about getting rid of bugleweed. Zones 4-9, Ajuga reptans 'Dixie Chip' is a variegated selection that offers foliage streaked with white, cream, and pink. Zone 6, southeastern Mass. When boiled, the roots are said to taste like Chinese artichokes. May 13, 2023 Debra LaGattuta is a gardening expert with three decades of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. Theyre also great for growing underneath shrubs and trees. Plant new ajuga plants 10 to 15 inches apart in early spring in rich, slightly acidic soil and in an area in full or partial shade. Questions about Ajuga asked by other gardeners, Learn How Plants And Soil Produce The Smell Of Rain, How To Create A Whimsical Gnomecore Garden, Best Trees For Carbon Sequestration And Climate Change, Tickle Me Houseplant How To Make A Tickle Me Plant Grow, Dwarf Crested Iris How To Care For A Dwarf Iris Plant, Sweet Alyssum Flowers Tips For Growing Sweet Alyssum, Growing Arborvitae Trees Tips On How To Grow An Arborvitae, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. Ajuga, for example, grows just a few inches tall, yet it adds tons of color to your landscape. Debbie, I have the same problem. Ajuga is a very low-maintenance plant. Because of its small stature, it doesn't need to be cut back each spring, and the flowers don't need any deadheading. They enjoy humus-rich, moisture-retaining soil. Crown rot can be a problem, especially in hot, humid areas or in heavy soils. If so, is there anything that will survive among the ajugs? I wanted my hill to be full by spring do you think it will live and hopefully thrive? Read our. Collect fallen, infected leaves and discard them in the trash; do not place infected leaves in your compost pile. For example I searched for the "life cycle of the purple leaf ajuga" which took me to your website. In the future, keep the garden free of weeds and insect pests so they can't transmit viruses to other plants. Ajuga is most easily propagated by division. How to Propagate Ajuga . Three weeks ago I planted 36 healthy-looking Adjuga Reptans Black Scallop plants in an area that will have filtered sunlight when the leaves appear on the trees. You'll find plenty of companion woodland plants for bugleweed that grow well in partial or full shade. Last Fall I discovered ajuga and planted ten plants in my shady garden. Help. Bugleweed is one of the easiest plants to propagate by division. If you are not tilling the soil in the entire planting area, start by digging your planting hole at least two to three times as wide and no deeper than the rootball. To read more go to her about page, Pollinators play a critical role in maintaining the ecosystem, and container gardening provides a unique opportunity to support and protect them. Award-winning Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant' (Carpet Bugle) is an evergreen perennial prized for its large, glossy purplish-bronze leaves, 6 in. Remove the plants from the garden and dispose of them. Bugleweed can be grown in any type of light from full sun to full shade. Selections with bronze- or metallic-tinted leaves keep color best in full sun. Fungicides for gardens and home cures like bleach are ineffective. What can I do? Look for products like Bonide Infuse Systemic Disease Control Lawn and Landscape, Ferti-lome Halt Systemic Rose, Flower, Lawn, Ornamental Fungicide, or SA-50 Thiomyl Turf and Ornamental Systemic Fungicide, and carefully follow the label instructions. After flowering plants can be deadheaded if desired. A partial sun setting with four to six hours of sunshine daily is excellent for the nicest leaf hues. The last two years about half of our Chocolate Chip Ajuga died off and shriveled to nothing in the winter. The fungus Sclerotium rolfsii var. Clean up the remaining dried, shriveled foliage and leave the roots alone. Discolored roots with chocolate brown lesions that can spread into the lower stem are typical. From each node on a stolon, the plant sends down roots and forms another crown of leavesso that as they grow, they create more colonies. Infected plants stems turn brown or black and decay. This is a lovely plant but takes over & spreads quickly.It has gotten into the grass & was taking over my lawn. The foliage is generally crinkled and very glossy as well. Wait until all chance of frost has passed to plant ajugas. The leaves of the ash tree curl and deform. Ajuga reptans, the wild bugle, is a robust evergreen with dark green foliage, bearing upright spikes of dark blue flowers from late spring to midsummer. Virus-infected plants often show other symptoms of a problem. Could it be raccoon, opossum? The damage caused by Ash leaf curl aphids begins in May and June and continues throughout the season. These are low growing matted type weeds which are impossible to pull up by their roots. Does not seem to be hardy or aggressive thus far. wide (15-90 cm), and remains attractive most of the year. Several cultivars offer variegated foliage colors and patterns. Ajugas seldom need fertilizing. It's a beautiful ground cover but you do have to keep after it deligently to keep it under control. Any white moldy-looking material should be removed and discarded as well. Brighten shady and sunny nooks with one of the most goof-proof annuals: impatiens. Her passion for gardening began when she was a child, assisting her Mom and Nana in tending to their backyard garden in England. What are the possible causes and cures for this? April 20, 2023 Plant bugleweed in an area where air circulation is good, spacing the plants about one foot apart. Youll probably want to thin your ajugas every three years or so, to prevent them from becoming overcrowded. document.write(''); At the point where these clumps begin to get crowded, you can dig them up and transplant them. There is no known cure, so remove and discard infected plants and the soil immediately surrounding their roots. Roots blacken and become covered with white fungal threads. Gently loosen the plants roots, place them in the ground, and firm the soil around them. have a question that needs a personal response, please I have burgundy glow adjuga in two different spots. The flowers of Ajuga reptans are dark blue but there are many cultivars of this plant and their flowers can range from pale blue through to bright blue, violet, white and pink. Gets partial sun. The ajuga is growing but the clover is growing more suggestions to get rid of clover and weed grass? This plant will readily grow from cuttings, so keep checking for roots to form. PlantLinks to other web pages about Ajuga reptans. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that Keep in mind that although ajuga is considered a groundcover, it doesn't do well with foot traffic.