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Botanical name: Ajuga reptans ‘Chocolate Chip’
A beautiful evergreen, dwarf variety that presents delicious chocolate brown foliage and pretty blue flower spikes during late spring; low growing with a spreading habit, ideal for beds, borders and containers; low maintenance and heat tolerant.
Other names: Carpet Bugle
| Hardiness zone | 4a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | blue |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | spreading |
| Mature height | 4 inches (6 inches with the flowers) |
| Spread | 18 inches |
| Light requirements | partial shade to shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Chocolate Chip Bugleweed's attractive tiny narrow leaves emerge dark green in spring, turning dark brown in color the rest of the year. It features subtle spikes of blue flowers rising above the foliage from mid to late spring. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Chocolate Chip Bugleweed is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Spreading
Chocolate Chip Bugleweed is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Rock/Alpine Gardens, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens, Container Planting, Hanging Baskets
Chocolate Chip Bugleweed will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Chocolate Chip Bugleweed is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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