• Photo of Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' (Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip's)

Plant Profile: Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip'

Names

Chocolate Chip Bugleweed

  • Photo of Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' (Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip's)

Phonetic Spelling:a-JOO-guh REP-tanz

Genus:Ajuga

Species:reptans

Family:Lamiaceae

Chocolate Chip Bugleweed is a low-growing, evergreen perennial characterized by its oval-shaped chocolate-colored leaves adorned with burgundy accents, complemented by bluish-purple flower spikes that bloom from mid to late spring. Over time, it will spread to form a dense mat, making it an appealing choice for ground cover. This plant is resistant to deer and rabbits and is known for its ease of cultivation.

For optimal growth, it should be planted in partial to full shade within moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils. It is well-suited for small spaces, containers, borders, rock gardens, or areas beneath trees and shrubs.

However, it is important to note that Chocolate Chip Bugleweed is prone to crown rot, so it should not be planted in heavy clay soils, and care should be taken to avoid overcrowding.

For further details on Ajuga reptans, additional resources are available.

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Feature Summary

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#hummingbirds
#understory
#small spaces
#easy to grow
#shade tolerant
#shade garden
#cottage garden
#rabbit resistant
#fast growing
#deer resistant
#glossy leaves
#groundcover
#rock gardens
#nectar plant spring
#food source nectar
#butterfly friendly
#heavy shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Feature Summary

Attributes
Nectar from the flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Perennial
Attracts Pollinators
Leaves
This plant has small, chocolate leaves with burgundy highlights.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Green
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Opposite
Whorled
Rosulate
Ovate
Obovate
Spatulate
Entire
Crenate
Dentate
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Ground Cover
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Dense
Spreading
Horizontal
Creeping
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Fruit
Flowers
Landscape
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Shade Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Small groups
Deer
Rabbits
Black Walnut
Heavy Shade
Container
Small Space
Slope/Bank
Butterflies
Pollinators
Hummingbirds

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Attributes

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Wildlife Value

Nectar from the flowers attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

heavy shade, deer, rabbit

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Leaves

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Description

This plant has small, chocolate leaves with burgundy highlights.

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Color

spa
Brown/Copper
spa
Green
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Whole Plant Traits

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Cultural Conditions

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Fruit

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Flowers

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Stem

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' Landscape

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees