Burgundy Glow bugleweed

Sun

Partial shade is best. Tolerates full sun where the soil stays moist; provide afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Once rooted, water during dry spells; avoid persistently wet soil.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate and a broad range of soil pH.

Height

0.25-0.5 ft (0.08-0.15 m) in leaf; flower spikes reach 0.5-0.75 ft (0.15-0.23 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) per clump, spreading farther as runners root

Flowers

Blue flower spikes in mid- to late spring, sometimes continuing into early summer

Foliage

Low rosettes of rounded leaves marbled grey-green, cream and burgundy-pink; colour varies with season and light. Evergreen in mild climates, but partly or fully deciduous in severe winters.

Growth

Moderate to fast in moist soil; usually less vigorous than plain green bugleweed

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.1 ft (0.03 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.2 ft (0.07 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.4 ft (0.12 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the UK

Invasive in

the US

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water new plants regularly through their first growing season, allowing excess water to drain.
• Top-dress with a thin layer of compost in spring; rich soil rarely needs additional fertiliser.
• Keep mulch away from the crowns to reduce rot.
• Lift runners that cross into lawns, paths or neighbouring plants before they root firmly.
• Divide crowded mats in spring or early autumn, replanting healthy rooted rosettes.

Pruning. Snip off spent flower spikes after flowering and remove winter-damaged leaves in spring. Cut out any shoots that revert to plain green, including their attached runners.

Early spring

Remove dead foliage and check crowns for rot after wet winter weather.

Spring

Plant or divide rooted rosettes and water them in thoroughly.

Late spring

Trim spent flower spikes once flowering finishes.

Summer

Water during dry spells and remove plain green reversions.

Early autumn

Lift unwanted runners and divide congested patches while the soil is still warm.

Late autumn

Clear thick accumulations of fallen leaves from the mat to improve airflow.

• Edge partly shaded paths with a low band of variegated foliage, trimming runners before they cross the paving.
• Plant beneath deciduous shrubs with ferns and hostas to cover bare soil without adding much height.
• Use small patches beside dark-leaved heucheras to contrast pale leaf margins with deeper colours.
• Grow in a container with shade-tolerant perennials, allowing runners to trail over the rim while keeping spread contained.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Cottage garden, English country, Blues and silvers, Small-space and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Hostas, Heucheras, Japanese painted ferns, Siberian bugloss, Astilbes and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: The flowers provide nectar for bees and other visiting insects. Dense mats offer some shelter for small invertebrates, but this is not a native groundcover outside its native range.

• Crown rot in wet, crowded conditions: remove affected plants, improve drainage and thin the remaining mat.
• Slugs and snails chewing leaves: remove hiding places, hand-pick after dark or use an approved iron-based bait as directed.
• Leaf scorch or crispy edges in hot sun and dry soil: provide afternoon shade and water deeply during drought.
• Plain green reversions and unwanted spread: remove reverted rosettes with their runners and lift plants beyond the intended boundary.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no part is recognised as a significant poisoning hazard. It is an ornamental plant, not a food crop, and eating plant material may still cause stomach upset.

Where it spreads. The species spreads aggressively by rooting runners and is reported as invasive in parts of the northeastern and midwestern United States. 'Burgundy Glow' is generally less vigorous than green forms but can still escape garden boundaries. Keep it away from natural woodland and check local guidance before planting.

• Variegated ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata')

  Ground ivy has kidney-shaped, scalloped leaves on trailing stems and small flowers in the leaf axils; bugleweed has broader oval leaves in rosettes and upright flower spikes.

• Spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum)

  Spotted dead-nettle has pointed, toothed leaves, often with silver markings, and hooded pink, purple or white flowers rather than bugleweed's dense blue spikes.

The species name reptans means creeping, referring to its rooting runners, while 'Burgundy Glow' describes the pink-purple colouring in its variegated leaves.

Propagation. Divide clumps or detach rooted runners in spring or early autumn. Use rosettes with typical variegation; seed-grown plants will not reliably retain the cultivar's colouring.

Accepted botanical name

Ajuga reptans

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia and France.

Measured

Soil pH 3 to 4. Average height 11 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.