Pseudohyos bugle

Family Lamiaceae. A species with a Mediterranean-type range, occurring mainly in Southern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and adjacent areas of Iran.

A perennial herbaceous plant 10–20 cm tall, with erect or ascending stems branched at the base. The stems are covered with long white hairs either evenly all around or alternately on two sides; in the latter case the hairs may be appressed. The lower leaves are spathulate, entire or with three teeth at the apex, narrowed into a long petiole; higher on the stem the leaves are three-lobed with narrow lobes, covered with long hairs. Flowers are solitary or in clusters of 2–4 in the axils of the upper leaves, forming dense false-spike inflorescences at the stem tips. The calyx is bell-shaped, with prominent veins, long-haired over the whole surface or only in the upper part, with five broadly triangular teeth, almost awl-shaped at the tip, the upper one shorter than the others. The corolla is (16)19–25 mm long, with a weakly developed upper lip, yellow, with purple speckles and streaks on the lower lip and along the veins of the tube, densely hairy outside with long white hairs, and also with short glandular hairs (especially on the inner surface). The fruits are oblong, 3–4 mm long, reticulate at the apex, transversely wrinkled below, with oblique anastomosis across the wrinkles. Flowering occurs throughout the warm season — from May to September; fruits ripen from June to October.

Site and soil: this extremely undemanding groundcover can grow in any, even the most unfavorable, conditions — in full sun and in deep shade, on light dry and heavy waterlogged soils. However, dappled shade and humus-rich, sufficiently moist loamy soils are preferable. The species is highly frost- and winter-hardy, tolerating spring and late-autumn frosts as well as short-term temperature drops to minus 8–10°.

Care: regular feeding in spring is necessary. In dry weather provide ample watering. The uniqueness of this bugle is that against the background of overall green and occasional silvery groundcovers it creates decorative reddish-brown patches. For greater expression and brightness of the carpet it is advisable to remove the inflorescences, although they do not spoil the overall appearance (as some sedums do). This, of course, does not apply to cultivars with white and pink flowers, which give the plant particular charm.

Diseases and pests: excessive waterlogging, especially in shade, does not noticeably affect the condition of the bugle. The only possible nuisance, especially at low temperatures, is an invasion of slugs and snails. As true gourmets they prefer cultivars with tender leaves, which they roughly eat first into irregular holes and then down to the petioles, especially at night. How to combat slugs and snails? Remove debris, leaves, and extra stones from the site; avoid poorly drained places for planting. Around the plants we spread superphosphate on films, which is effective only in dry weather and, of course, does not kill the pests but only repels them. The recommended metaldehyde for plant protection is highly toxic and should not be used where small children or pets live.

Propagation: the plant can be propagated by seed in spring and autumn, however cultivar forms do not come true to the mother plants. Therefore vegetative propagation is usually practiced.

Division of the rhizome into stolons with 2–3 internodes is carried out early in spring. Daily watering is necessary during the first week until new roots form. Planting distance is 20–25 cm; it is not recommended to bury the divisions — the apical bud should be 0.5–1 cm above the surface of the soil. It should be borne in mind, however, that only the species Ajuga reptans itself and its form 'Variegata Rubra' propagate by stolons. The second method is dividing the clump into rosettes (from early spring and no later than the second ten-day period of September). For best subsequent growth and development, planting units about 5 cm2 in size (3–5 leaf rosettes) are optimal. However, if the starting material is scarce, as with rare cultivars, division down to a single rosette is possible. And even if we damage the stem somewhat, if there is at least a thread of roots, survival will be quite successful with good watering. It is also possible to frequently and even continuously divide as the leaf rosettes increase, transplanting at distances of 10–15 cm. After successful rooting, watering is not required, even in a dry hot summer. All species and cultivar bugles are propagated by this method. Given the extreme undemanding nature of the species to growing conditions, planting in gardens and parks is practiced throughout the summer and into late autumn.

Uses: so, if you like this very attractive plant, where and how can you use it in the garden? Bugle is one of the few groundcover plants that spreads well on slopes, feels excellent among stones and in the hollows between them, and in border plantings along paths. The species is very good for large rock gardens (but not for small tight alpine gardens), as it very quickly forms a dense, thick cover. In alpine gardens it is necessary to plant bugle either away from valuable plants or restrict its growth using artificial synthetic materials. You can use it to green large areas with minimal care, as well as in tree and shrub circles. If you need to cover a bare patch of ground where, due to poor light, it is impossible to establish a lawn, there is no better plant. It is also suitable for container design as a groundcover and trailing plant in mixed perennial compositions. If you are a beginning gardener or do not have extra time for garden care, start your acquaintance with groundcovers with bugle.