A Ground Cover With Color All Year Long

‘Parrot Paradise’ ajuga is a stunning plant that’s not to be missed

At the credit of land cover version , most gardeners like a shot recall ofperiwinkle(Vinca minor * , Zones 4–8 ) , Japanesepachysandra(Pachysandra procumbens , Zones 5–9 ) , orlilyturf(Liriope muscariand cvs . , Zones 5–9).Ajuga(Ajuga reptans * and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) is loosely not one of the contenders . Most gardeners I know either love it or hate it . The small , spoon - shaped leaves can distribute vigorously by stem that creep barely above or just below the undercoat , forming a dense mat . It seems that gardeners who have intercourse it wipe out it with kindness , while those who dismiss it have it extend through their property unchecked .

AboutAjuga

Believe it or not , there are over 40 species of ajuga , but only a few are generally sell in nursery . Since the advent of cultivars such as ‘ Metallica Crispa ’ , which has shiny bronze foliage , and ‘ Black Scallop ’ , which has rounded , dear - black leaves and more - reddish blue flower , ajuga has grow in popularity . It still is not one of the top reason cover , however .

Ajuga grows best in moist , suspicious spaces , but it likes some sun to give it additional color . ( Full sunshine may sear the honest-to-god cultivars , however . ) In leaping and early summertime it is address in lovely , pocket-sized , upright , bright grim flowers . Then it goes back to being just about the foliage . In many climates it stays semi - evergreen to evergreen plant . Another ingredient in its party favour is that it is not hard to poke out and move around . I have done this several sentence with middling regular success .

A NewAjugaCultivar

Chris Hansen , who is known for his innovative series of hen and chicks ( Sempervivumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) called Chick Charms ® , has now turned to ajuga to give us a whole mountain chain of colors and size culled from this priming treat basic . Within the Feathered Friends ™ serial , you ’ll ascertain some Ajuga with large parting and some with modest leaf , but all of them amount in a range of colors . The one I care most is ‘ Parrot Paradise ’ . It grows in shade to light sun . Throughout early to recent spring it produces good cobalt blue flush that are first-rate showy because the leaves are an exciting mix of yellow , orange , and red — all on one industrial plant . After efflorescence , the older leave become to chartreuse and yellow . wintertime leaf incline to be orange and stay semievergreen or evergreen calculate on the clime . After fall cleanup you may still have lasting color in the garden . conceive of a land cover that can give you year - round colour ! ‘ Parrot Paradise ’ also thrives in full sun with no burn mark on the foliation . That is a big advantage .

With all these dimension , I hope ajuga can now join the lean of gardeners ’ favorite undercoat covers .

‘Parrot Paradise’ ajuga

Ajuga‘Parrot Paradise’

Zones:4–8

Conditions : Full sun to partial shade ; middling soil

Native mountain chain : Hybrid

A-one cool plants

earth cover for spook

Stephanie Cohen has spent most of her living trialing , speaking about , and teaching all things plants . The author of several ledger , she lectures extensively around North America .

instance : Elara Tanguy

Invasive alert :

Periwinkle(Vinca minor )

This plant is considered invasive in AL , DE , GA , IN , KY , MD , NH , OR , PA , SC , TN , VA , WI , and WV .

Bugleweed(Ajuga reptans )

This plant is considered invasive in MD , OR , and WV .

Please visitinvasiveplantatlas.orgfor more information .

Sources

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ground cover with color

Photo: courtesy of Chris Hansen

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