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.
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.
General information that applies to all plants:
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Ground
preparation, fertilization, pH
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Planting
instructions
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Explanation
and description of bare roots
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How
to plant bare root plants
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If you
cannot plant bare roots right away
(0)
Full sun 
Part sun 
Shade
