Creeping Ayuga

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

The Ayuga plant has so many qualities that are attractive to gardeners that it is simply surprising if it has not yet settled in your country house. For its unpretentiousness to living conditions, people call the plant "Tenacious". I am amazed by its ability to maintain decorativeness for many years without leaving one place, as well as winter hardiness and many other qualities

Rod Ayug

Herbaceous plants of the genus Ayuga (or Ayuga, who is more accustomed to reading the Latin name "Ajuga") can be annual and perennial. But both are characterized by a tenacious disposition and unpretentiousness to the conditions of life. In culture, they prefer to grow perennial Zhyvuchka species, given its docile nature, which does not require transplants to preserve the decorativeness of the plant.

On a strong, low, erect stem, pubescent with whitish hairs, dark green ovate-oblong leaves alternate with tubular flowers, forming a spike-shaped complex inflorescence. The protruding lip of the flower either teases its surroundings, or emphasizes the simplicity of the plant.

Varieties

* Tenacious creeping (Ajuga reptans) - a lover of moist soils more often than other species settles in summer cottages. Shoots spread from the rhizome of the perennial, clinging to the turned up support or soil with a mustache and rooting easily. On erect peduncles up to 25 cm in height, in the axils of sessile leaves, numerous white or blue flowers are located, forming a spike-shaped inflorescence. Rosette leaves are oval, whole, with a coarsely toothed margin, sitting on long petioles.

* Pyramidal tenacious (Ajuga pyramidalis) - differs in complex pyramidal inflorescences-ears of purple or blue flowers that bloom in May. Oval dark green leaves form a rosette. The edge of the leaves is serrated, which makes the plant decorative.

* Genevan tenacious (Ajuga genevensis) - The leaves of this species also have a serrated edge. At the end of spring, white, pink, blue or blue flowers bloom on a low plant (height no more than 30 cm).

Growing

Ayuga looks great in group flower plantings, enlivening the spring flower bed with its decorative greenery. Flower borders are formed from it, but the main trump card of the plant is its groundcover qualities.

For moist soils of shaded parts of the garden, the pyramidal tenacious and creeping tenacious are suitable as a ground cover. Sunny places with well-drained fertile soil will come to the courtyard of Zhyvuchka Geneva.

Planting plants can be carried out at any time of the year, having prepared the soil in advance. Although Zhivuchka surprises with its abundant flowering and decorativeness even on the poorest soils, it is still more reasonable to add organic fertilizers to the soil before planting the plant.

All types of Ayuga treat watering favorably, but if Zhyvuchka Geneva is moderately regular watering enough, then the other two types of watering require abundant watering. At an early stage of plant development, watering is combined with mineral feeding, adding liquid fertilizer to the water once every three to four weeks.

All species are resistant to different temperatures, but creeping tenacious surpasses others in winter hardiness.

The appearance is supported by the removal of faded and damaged inflorescences and leaves.

Reproduction

Thanks to the tenacious rhizome, the plant can be easily propagated by dividing the bush, without looking back at the season. But, nevertheless, as a rule, such a division is carried out in the fall or spring. In addition, it can be propagated by sowing seeds, or by dividing the rhizome itself.

Enemies

Persistent Tenaciousness perfectly protects itself from the invasion of diseases and pests. However, if the soil contributes to the stagnation of water under the roots, then microscopic fungi immediately become active, provoking rotting of the root collar. To prevent this from happening, the soil must be selected with good drainage.