Leaf
Bertrand BUI, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bugle
Ajuga reptans L.
Also known as: Common bugle, Carpet bugle
Family: Lamiaceae
10 to 20 cm tall, in a spreading mat
Moist meadows, woodland edges, lawns
Flowering: April – June
Full sun
Part shade
Shade
Very hardy, to -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Spreads by long creeping stolons that root, forming dense mats.
🍃 Leaves
In a rosette, oval, often tinged with purple, creeping stolons
🌸 Flowers
Blue-violet, in whorls along an upright spike
🍎 Fruits
Small achenes
🪵 Bark
Square stem typical of the Lamiaceae, creeping stolons
🗺️ Distribution
Europe; common in moist meadows, open woods and lawns in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Blue-violet spikes visited by bumblebees and bees in spring, an early source of nectar.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ground cover for shaded, moist borders, woodland, edging; many cultivars with purple or variegated foliage.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity.
🌱 Known cultivars
'Atropurpurea'
The cultivar 'Atropurpurea' has dark bronze-purple foliage all year round, very different from the green foliage of the species, while keeping the same blue-violet flower spikes.
🌿 Other Lamiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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