Ajuga tenorii 'Chocolate Chip'
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Chocolate Bugle Bells
Ajuga tenorii 'Chocolate Chip'
Ajuga tenorii ‘Chocolate Chip’ is a dwarf and tightly knit groundcover.
Delightful little chocolate-bronze-purple leaves cluster close like little dark chips.
While purple-blue flower spires complement the dark foliage perfectly.
Ideal for small gardens & pots
Ajuga tenorii ‘Chocolate Chip’ is an ideal groundcover for small gardens, because it is so polite and well behaved.
It looks sensational in containers and hanging baskets, as the tight mat of tiny chocolate-purple leaves cascades down the sides.
Aids garden health
‘Chocolate Chip’ is also gorgeous under roses.
Where it helps to reduce Black Spot disease by carpeting the ground and assisting to prevent the spores splashing up onto the leaves.
As well as helping to reduce evaporation from the soil surface.
Weed suppressing mat for shade
Ajuga tenorii ‘Chocolate Chip’ flowers well in dappled sun & shade; morning sun with afternoon shade; or full shade that has good light levels.
But it also copes in the extremes of full shade or sun.
Neglect resistant
Ajuga tenorii ‘Chocolate Chip’ is neglect resistant and a fast grower. So, it quickly makes its’ tight knit, weed suppressing mat.
It is a hardy and tough plant, and not fussy about soil type, tolerating most soils from sand to clay.
Though it does not enjoy being waterlogged for long, so good soil drainage is important.
Nor is it fussy about soil pH, making a go of it in either acid, or alkaline, lime-based soils.
And ‘Chocolate Chip’ is certainly hardy - as it tolerates hard frosts down to at least -10C; will hang on during periods of dry; and tolerates heat well.
GROWING: Ajuga tenorii 'Chocolate Chip’
- Height with flowers: Soft-blue flower spires 10cm. high approx. Foliage is flat to the ground and tight-knit. So, the small leaves make a tight, weed suppressing mat.
- Width:Makes a round carpet to a diameter of approximately 30-50cm.
But the chocolate-purple foliage carpet will go as far as you want it to cover. And it is easily weeded out when it gets to the edge of the allocated space.
- Position: Best in dappled sun & shade, morning sun with afternoon shade, or full shade with good light levels. However, it also copes in the extremes of full shade or sun.
- Soil: Very unfussy. So, Ajuga reptans ‘Silver Carpet’ accepts everything from sand to clay. Except it detests being waterlogged, so choose a well-drained position.
And it is not fussy about pH, so will make a go of it in acid or alkaline (lime based) soils.
- Frost: Very frost hardy, even in hard frosts to at least -10C or lower.
- Growth: Hardy evergreen perennial groundcover.
- Beneficial for wildlife: The flowers provide nectar for honey eating native birds, bees, and are also visited by butterflies and moths.
- Beware: Please consult a medical expert before using Ajuga as an herbal treatment.
- Care & Maintenance: Extremely low maintenance ground cover. No trimming is required as it has a naturally neat, tight growth habit. You can even mow it with the mower.
Though an annual feed may be applied, it is not essential, as Ajuga is not a hungry plant.
- Deer & Rabbit resistant: Both rabbits and deer tend to treat it with ignore, because it has a bitter astringent taste.
Ajuga - A plant of legend
- Myths & Legends: Ajuga has gathered a swathe of common names, with most reflecting the trumpet shape of the individual flowers in the stacked spires.
So "Bugle"," Blue Bugle", "Bugle Herb", "Carpet Bugle" are just some of the more popular common names.
But it is also known as "Carpenter's Herb", because it was used in traditional European herbal medicine to quench bleeding. And for some people it was even considered the sovereign remedy for hangovers!
Other traditional European herbalists made teas to treat sore throats and mouth ulcers, and treat sore heads from over-indulgence and merrymaking.
- Origin: There are members of the Ajuga family all around the world, but particularly in Europe, Africa and Asia.
So it is no wonder the Ajuga family members are such adaptable survivors.
Ajuga tenorii originates from areas around the Mediterranean, including northern Africa, so it is particularly well adapted to periods of heat.
Quarantine Restriction: None - Ajuga tenorii 'Chocolate Chip' can be shipped to all states from Di’s Delightful Plants - one of Australia’s largest on-line nursery and mail order plant services.
Bulk Discount
If you buy 3-6 plants there will be a $0.50 discount per plant"
If you buy 7+ plants there will be a $1.00 discount per plant
Plants on Special are excluded
