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groundcover

Bugle

Ajuga reptans

Native

Growing guidance

Horticultural figures below are practitioner estimates for planning, pending expert review. The botanical record further down is sourced and verifiable.

Current-climate suitability

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Future-climate resilience

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Sun

Partial shade

Soil moisture

average, moisture-retentive

Heat tolerance

Up to about 34°C

Cold tolerance

Down to about -30°C

Waterlogging tolerance

4/5

Drought tolerance

2/5

Mature size

0.1–0.2 m tall, 0.6 m spread

Seasonal interest

Late spring · Deep blue

Maintenance

low

Wildlife supported

General wildlife value 4/5 (verified species relationships are shown only where structured data exists)

Known risks or warnings

Runs into lawns; sulks in drought.

Toxicity: mild

Verified botanical record

Accepted scientific name
Ajuga reptans L.
Family
Lamiaceae (Lamiales)
Rank and status
species · accepted
GBIF record
Taxon 2927078

Recorded native range: Belgium, Brussels-Capital Region, Flanders, Flemish Region, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Portugal Continental, Walloon Region

Recorded as introduced in: Alabama, Alberta, Arkansas, Bogotá, British Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Finland, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and 41 further regions

Ranges are exactly as recorded in the GBIF source checklists and may be incomplete for widely cultivated species.

Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, carpetweed, carpet bugleweed, and common bugle, and traditionally (although less commonly) as St. Lawrence plant. It is an herbaceous flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Europe. It is also a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures, a Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in the United Kingdom. Ajuga reptans is a dense spreading groundcover with dark green leaves with purple highlights. The leaves grow 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) tall. In spring the plant sends up 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in) tall flower stalks bearing many purple flowers. The flowers are frequently visited by flies, such as Rhingia campestris.

Description from Wikipedia — Ajuga reptans (CC BY-SA), shortened and unedited in substance.

Native status and geographic context

  • United Kingdom: native
  • United States: climate-suitable
  • Australia: climate-suitable

Native status is never inferred from climate similarity. Plants restricted or invasive in a jurisdiction are excluded from recommendations there.

Demonstration data. Climate, plant and retailer records shown here are realistic samples awaiting horticultural validation and live data connections.