Ajuga reptans Chocolate Chip

Common Name:
Chocolate Chip Bugle

Description:
Ajuga reptans 'Chocolate Chip' is a compact, ground-hugging perennial prized for its rich chocolate-purple foliage and vibrant blue flower spikes. A dwarf form of the traditional bugleweed, this cultivar spreads by runners to form a dense, mat-like ground cover, making it ideal for filling gaps between pavers, edging garden beds, or softening rockeries. The narrow, glossy leaves maintain their colour year-round in most climates, with foliage tones intensifying in cooler weather. In spring, short spires of vivid blue flowers rise above the foliage, creating a striking contrast. Thriving in part shade to full shade, 'Chocolate Chip' prefers moist, well-drained soil but can tolerate short dry spells once established. It is particularly well-suited to Melbourne gardens for its adaptability, low maintenance, and decorative value in shady or semi-shaded areas.

Form:
*Ground Cover
*Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:
*Height: 10–15 cm
*Width: 60–90 cm (spreading)

Aspect:
*Part Shade
*Full Shade

Flowering:
*Flowers in Spring

Flower Colour:
*Blue

Key Attributes:
*Suitable for Pots
*Bee Attracting
*Herbaceous
*Perennial
*Low Maintenance
*Evergreen in Mild Climates
*Excellent Between Pavers or Stepping Stones
*Fast Spreading Ground Cover

Toxicity:
Not considered toxic to humans. Mildly toxic to pets (dogs and cats) if large quantities are ingested — may cause mild gastrointestinal upset.

Companion Plants:
*Hosta spp.
*Heuchera spp.
*Ferns
*Carex ‘Frosted Curls’
*Liriope muscari