Ajuga reptans Purple Torch

Ajuga reptans Purple Torch is a popular, low-growing groundcover plant known for its dark green leaves that shift to bronze in winter and the profusion of lilac blooms in the summer.

Ajuga reptans Purple Torchis valued for its lilac flowers that stand above the bright green carpet.

In late spring to early summer, it produces spikes of small, tubular lilac flowers that add vibrant color to the garden – adored by butterflies and bees.

Low-maintenance and easy to grow, Ajuga reptans Purple Torch requires minimal care and provides maximum, year-round interest for your garden.

It is drought tolerant but does prefer a cool soil – its favorite hiding place is beneath large tree canopies or near some afternoon shade.

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾: Ajuga reptans Purple Torch

• • If it likes its environment, Ajuga can spread aggressively, so it may need some monitoring or containment in certain regions.
  • Looks incredible with Chrysanthemum Mei Kyo or Chrysanthemum Dernier Soleil

Learn more about gardening with the Ajuga family:

• • ENG: How to Control the Ajuga reptans 
  • FR: La Bugle Rampante

The Tale & The Botany: Ajuga reptans Purple Torch

Bugle is a primary nectar source of the pearl-bordered fritillary and the small pearl-bordered fritillary.

And if you REALLY now your butterflies – it is an important (secondary) nectar source for the brimstone, chequered skipper, common blue, cryptic wood white, dingy skipper, Duke of Burgundy, green-veined white, grizzled skipper, heath fritillary, holly blue, large blue, large skipper, large white, marsh fritillary, orange-tip, painted lady, small white, and wood white butterflies.

There are tales that it can be infused in a tea form and used to deal with respiratory tract troubles  – however I have read that this happens only in Austrian traditional medicine and there is only one 19th century medicine book that confirms (other books claim it aids with intestinal troubles) this so …. proceed with caution!

Ajuga reptans is also a somewhat-common foraging sight in many places where it grows.

They are edible raw in small numbers, however as the leaves get old, they also get more bitter.

They are also quite bitter when they are young so this is not a salad for everyone.

Floral Morphology

The species is monoecious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. Pollination is by bees or Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies).

The inflorescence forms a dense raceme composed of whorls of blue flowers, each with dark veins on the lower lip.

The calyx has five toothed lobes and the corolla forms a two-lipped flower about 14 to 17 mm (0.6 to 0.7 in) long with a short tube.

The upper lip of each flower is short and flat with a smooth edge, and the lower lip is three-lobed, the central lobe being the largest, flat with a notched tip.

There are two long stamens and two short stamens, which are longer than the corolla and are attached to the tube. The ovary is superior and the fruit is a schizocarp with four chambers.

Ecology

The natural habitat of Ajuga reptans spans across Europe, extending to the middle taiga subzone of northeastern Russia.

The plant thrives in the understory of mixed and parvifoliate forests, benefiting from the higher soil nitrogen and lower acidity these forests provide compared to pure coniferous stands.

Iit is considered an invasive species in various parts of the United States due to its aggressive growth and ability to form dense mats that outcompete native plants for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Other Names

Carpet Bugleweed

Dark Purple Bugleweed

Origin

Europe