If you are after a pop of deep color to cover your ground, this is the perennial for you! Picture dark-green foliage splashed with chocolate and burgundy highlights blanketing your landscape and then exploding with deep blue, 2-inch flower spikes from early spring to early summer. Butterflies will love this Ajuga (commonly called Bugleweed) and so will your neighbors!
While other Ajugas have shorter, thicker leaves, this variety tends to offer taller, slightly more slender leaves. But don't let the leaves fool you; this variety is also commonly selected because its dwarf, low growth habits makes it perfect for smaller areas needing a hardy, weed-choking groundcover. Chocolate Chip tolerates light foot traffic and ends out offering a brilliant contrast as a border edging, around shrubs and trees and even between pavers/stepping stones.
When working with Chocolate Chip, your biggest challenge will be deciding where you don't want to use her. While her preference is a partially shaded, well-drained and loamy soil, she's perfectly content in a variety of locations including full sun where her foliage gives its very best show of color, provided you supply her with ample moisture.
Gardener Tips Avoid waterlogged situations because Chocolate Chip does not perform well in that environment. To test the drainage of your soil, dig a small 10 inch hole, fill it with water and observe the length of time it takes to drain. If, after a few hours, the soil has not drained, it may not be an ideal location for Chocolate Chip Ajuga.
General information about Ajuga (Bugleweed):
Ajuga reptans (commonly called Bugleweed) is noted for her striking range of foliage, colors, and textures. In mass plantings, the blanket of blue flowers is simply stunning. Because of her attractive tri-color foliage and spikes of blue flowers in spring, she is a frequent choice for planting under roses. Superb at
choking out weeds,
Ajuga creates a mat of semi-evergreen to
evergreen,
foliage that remains attractive all year round. She is also sought out because it is one of the few groundcovers that will grow
under walnut trees.
Growing Ajuga under trees offers gardeners who prefer not to mow under them because of the danger of large root systems a lovely solution to covering their ground. Because Ajuga will grow in shady areas, she is a terrific option for spots where grasses often fail to thrive. This makes her a perfect choice to replace turf grass, and even for growth on banks, slopes, and under shrubs. This is a plant most gardeners won’t do without.
Things to Note
The foliage color will be less vibrant in areas with no direct sunlight. For example, the Black Scallop and Bronze Beauty will be greener and the Burgundy Glow will have less burgundy.
Be aware that
variegated
cultivars such as Black Scallop are hybridized or
sports
and occasionally she will
revert.
Watch out for any emerging green shoots. Immediately weed any such shoots out since they are much more vigorous than the variegated plant and will take over the clump.
To avoid crown rot It is critical for Ajugas to be planted with the crown (top of the root mass) slightly ABOVE ground level so water will not pool over the roots.
Speaking of foliage, keep in mind that the more direct sun Ajuga receives the more depth of color her foliage maintains. Plants such as Black Scallop or Bronze Beauty will become more green and Burgundy Glow will be less burgundy with less sunlight.
Interesting Fact
The leaves and young shoots of Ajuga cultivars are
edible
(but a bit bitter) and add contrasting color to salads.
I ordered 4 flats of Ajuga, Chocolate Chip and it arrived in superb condition. I got them in the ground within 5 days and they are thriving. Thanks! I will use Classy Groundcovers again if I need this type of plant in the future.
If you are more than a one-day ship away, we do not recommend shipping this plant during the heat of summer (July-August). Although our shipments are expedited (at most three days in transit), this plant tends to suffer more than average plants when shipped during hot weather (sometimes melting into mush).
You may order them, but understand that we will not replace or refund should any perish.
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FREE SHIPPING - Classy Groundcovers offers free shipping, and your plants never spend more
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If using
between pavers or stepping stones, it is recommended that you plant them such that the soil level is one to one-and-a-half inches below the top of the walking surface to allow room for the plants to compress when stepped on.If desired, in order to rejuvenate the foliage, cut it back to the ground after flowering. Mow large areas of bugleweed with a lawn mower; however, in small patches, trim plants back with pruning shears or a weed trimmer. Does well in full shade, but its best foliage color is in part-sun locations (at least 3-4 hours of sun per day).
Tolerates full sun in southern zones with ample moisture. Prefers loamy, well-drained soil but tolerates moderately dry ones. Avoid situations where it is wet for extended periods.
Do not plant Ajuga too deep, the very top of the root is best left above soil level.
Do not overwater, let the top 2" of soil dry out before watering. Do not let it stay bone dry for extended periods, but Ajuga likes air to reach their roots and too much water hampers that.
In areas where spreading is not desired, trim back the runners before they take root or prune ruthlessly once a year.Requires good drainage.
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