Their native habitat is generally shady areas throughout
Europe and Asia. It spreads rapidly by rhizomes which
makes them especially useful as a groundcover or
border. They will creep over rocks and keep on going.
Ajuga is best grown in moist soil (Normal rainfall is
usually enough to sustain them through dry summer
periods but supplemental watering will revive them in
times of severe stress and help keep the carpet lush
and fresh looking). Established plants can tolerate an
occasional drought. They prefer fine to medium textured
soils in dappled to full shade and medium soil fertility
(they respond well to the addition of humus or other
moisture retaining media to the soil. This can be added
at planting time or in established plantings, just lightly
sprinkle over the emerging growths in early spring.
With more sunshine the foliage takes on more intense
coloring, to those challenging shady places under trees
(In deeper shade, the leaves tend to be larger but the
flowering is less prolific). It is cold tolerant to -23?F and
will perform best in USDA Zones from 3-9.
As ground cover, Ajuga colonizes areas and forms a low
carpet of attractive shiny foliage and massed flowers.
They are vigorous plants, so they are a good way of
reducing maintenance on sloping banks or beds around
patios, ponds, pools or edges of streams, etc.
The rambling habit is useful in container planting or on
raised beds where they will cascade down over the
edges making a good display, provided they are well
watered.
GardenGranny's Favorite Ground cover
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They are often planted along the edges of beds
and borders where they make effective, informal
carpets of color spilling out onto paths and
driveways. In beds fronting onto grass areas, the
rambling habit can spread into the lawn, so take
care to maintain a good edge and weed out any
invaders. Clumps that become congested and
begin to lose vigor can be revived by being lifted
and divided.
Background
Believed to have strong medicinal properties, the
native species, Ajuga was gathered from moist
meadows and woodland thickets by ancient
apothecaries in Europe and Asia minor. Said to
have an ability to stop bleeding, it is also called
Carpenter's Herb, a reference to its use when a
carpenter's skill was less than accurate
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