purple leaf bugle

Purple Leaf Bugle (Ajuga reptans 'Purpurea') is the groundcover for the shady, damp corner where grass gives up. It runs into a dense mat about 15cm high, each plant spreading to around 60cm, with glossy bronze purple leaves and blue purple flower spikes standing about 25cm above the mat in spring. Frost hardy, tolerant of wet feet and content in poor soil, it is a rare set of tolerances in one small plant.

Why you'll love it

• It smothers weeds. Runners knit into a continuous mat, and a closed mat leaves very little bare ground for weed seed to reach.
• Spring flower spikes. Blue purple spikes stand about 25cm above the mat and are worked hard by bees.
• It takes wet ground. Damp soil that rots most groundcovers suits it, so it earns its place at the bottom of a slope.
• Fast and affordable cover. Planted at 30cm centres it closes over within a season, so a large area is realistic in tubes.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 30cm apart for a dense mat. That spacing closes over in one growing season, and planting closer only wastes plants.

Retaining walls and slopes. The mat binds soil on a bank and softens the top of a low wall. On a slope, stagger the rows at 30cm rather than planting in straight lines.

Borders, rockeries and paving. It edges a path neatly and takes occasional foot traffic, so it suits the gaps between steppers in a low traffic area.

Growing purple leaf bugle in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full shade, with morning sun acceptable. Hot afternoon sun scorches the leaves and bleaches the purple out of them. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and is frost hardy, so cold districts are no obstacle.

Soil. Almost any soil, including poor and heavy ground. It is one of the few groundcovers that accepts wet feet, though it runs fastest in soil with compost worked through.

Water and feed. Water twice weekly for the first six weeks, then weekly through summer. It is not drought tolerant, and a long dry spell in sun will thin the mat. A light feed of complete fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Shear or mow the spent flower spikes off after flowering to tidy the mat. Because it spreads by runners it will creep into a lawn, so cut a clean edge each spring and lift the strays.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are young rooted plants, small but quick to run once in the ground, and the sensible choice for covering a large area. The 140mm plants are more established and already spreading, worth the difference when you want cover in the first season.

Both travel well, since the foliage is low and the root plug holds together. Plant within a few days of arrival at 30cm spacing, water in, and keep the soil moist while the runners establish. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best groundcover plants for shade
• Browse the groundcover range
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Plants for full shade

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 30cm spacing you need about eleven plants per square metre. A pack of ten covers a little under a square metre and closes over within a season.

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads by surface runners, so it will creep into a lawn or an adjoining bed if nothing stops it. A hard edge, or an annual pass with a spade in spring, keeps it where you want it.

Will it grow in full sun?

It survives in sun in cool gardens with reliable moisture, but the leaves scorch and the colour bleaches under hot afternoon sun. Part shade to full shade gives the best foliage and the densest mat.