Plant spreading by stolons to form a prostrate leafy carpet. Leaves oblong to spoon-shaped, to about 10 cm long, 5 cm wide, hairless, sometimes with a few teeth, long-stalked. Flower clusters in leafy spikes to 10 cm or more long with whorls of up to 6 deep blue flowers, the bracts tinged blue; spring to early summer. [A. repens N. Tayl.]
W Asia, Europe
This is the most commonly cultivated species.
A number of new cultivars of A. reptans have been introduced in recent years, many from the USA, which vary in leaf size, colour and variegation,margin crinkling and flower colour.
Others species occasionally offered include:
A. australis R. Br., Austral Bugle, a variable species from SA, Qld, Vic and Tas;
A. genevensis L., Blue Bugle, from S Europe with bright blue flowers spring to summer;
A. pyramidalis L. Pyramid Bugle, from Europe, flowering late spring to early summer and generally available as the cultivar A 'Metallica Crispa' which has leaves iridescent, purplish with brown shading, and with crinkled edges.
Source: (2002). Lamiaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Leaves dark green. Flowers whitish.
Leaves dark purple, tinted bronze. ['Purpurea']
Leaves silvery green variegated with burgundy.
Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant'
Leaves large, bronze.
Stems tall. Leaves large, dark green. Flowers indigo.
Leaves dark bronze with red, pink and gold splashes.
A smaller version of A. 'Rosea'.
Flowers pink.
Mat-forming, with silvery leaves.
Habit dense and compact. Leaves grey-green, edged cream.