Ajuga Catlins Giant

Ajuga Catlin's Giant (Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant') is the groundcover to reach for when a shaded bed needs covering quickly. It sits about 25cm high and spreads to roughly 80cm across, carrying bronze purple leaves noticeably larger than those of common ajuga. Deep blue flower spikes stand clear of the mat through spring. Planted 30cm apart it knits into continuous cover in a single season.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground quickly. Runners root as they travel, so a 30cm grid fills in within one growing season rather than three.
• The foliage does the work. Leaves are broad, glossy and bronze purple all year, which is more than most groundcovers offer.
• It copes with damp soil. Wet feet tolerant, so the low corner that stays soggy for days after rain is fair game.
• Frost hardy and low maintenance. It takes cold southern winters unprotected and asks very little once established.
• Bees and butterflies use it. The spring spikes are a genuine nectar source, not just decoration.

Where it works best

Groundcover under trees and shrubs. Plant 30cm apart in a staggered grid. Shade and root competition defeat most alternatives here, and a closed mat suppresses weeds.

Borders and edging. A single row at 30cm centres gives a soft 25cm high edge, holding its colour through winter when little else does.

Mass planting and rockeries. On a shaded slope, 30cm spacing gives even cover and binds loose soil. Leave room, because it travels past where you planted it.

Growing Ajuga Catlin's Giant in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full shade suits it best, and a little morning sun deepens the bronze without scorching it. This is a plant for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, frost hardy enough for Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and the tablelands. In humid tropical and subtropical gardens it tends to rot through summer.

Soil. Moist, humus rich ground gives the strongest growth, so work compost through the bed first. It handles heavy soil and periodic wet better than almost any other groundcover, though not permanent standing water.

Water and feed. Keep the soil damp for the first two months while the runners take hold, then water weekly through summer. A light complete fertiliser in early spring covers the year.

Pruning. Shear the spent flower spikes off once spring finishes. Every second or third year, lift and divide congested clumps, and trim runners that stray into lawn.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock and in 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are small, usually a rosette or two with runners just beginning, and they are the sensible choice for a large bed because ajuga establishes fast regardless of starting size. The 140mm plants arrive fuller and give visible cover sooner.

Being low and compact it travels well, though a few outer leaves may bruise in transit and are best trimmed off on arrival. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect roots to move within a fortnight in warm weather, then the gaps to close over one season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing ground cover plants for shaded beds
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Low maintenance ground covers
• Plants that attract bees and butterflies

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Thirty centimetres apart in a staggered grid. At that spacing the runners meet and the bed reads as solid cover within a season, without paying for plants to cover ground it would have reached anyway.

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads by runners and will keep going if nothing stops it, lawn included. A hard edge, a path, or a trim twice a year keeps it in place, and stray pieces pull out easily by hand.

Does it need shade, or will it grow in sun?

Part shade is ideal and full shade is fine. It will grow in morning sun, but hot afternoon sun in an inland or Mediterranean garden scorches the leaves and thins the mat.