Brighter Blooms Black Scallop Ajuga Plant

A Versatile Groundcover with Color Appeal

Move over, ho-hum green groundcovers — Black Scallop Ajuga (Ajuga reptans ‘Binblasca’ BLACK SCALLOP) is a striking alternative! Its near-black foliage provides a contrasting backdrop for the violet flowers that bloom in spring. The dense and spreading habit of Black Scallop Ajuga fills in bare garden spots as it hugs the ground like a colorful carpet.

Fragrant Flowers & Fantastic Foliage
1. Maroon-purple foliage. The leaves are textural as well as colorful. Sporting scalloped edges, the deep-purplish leaves remain on evergreen plants year-round to keep your garden lush and full.

2. Fragrant violet flowers. The flowers form along spikes that are held above the leaves, making Black Scallop Ajuga a real attention-grabber in the garden.

3. Deer-resistant. Deer are not attracted to the fragrant flowers or the succulent foliage. Even hungry rabbits leave plants alone.

A Groundcover Problem-Solver
As Black Scallop Ajuga spreads by above-ground stems called stolons, it forms a dense groundcover mat that functions as a living mulch cover for your garden plants, crowding out weeds and conserving ground moisture. The root system holds the soil in place and the foliage acts as a shock absorber for rain, which helps Black Scallop Ajuga control erosion on slopes or banks. In low-light areas where it’s a challenge to grow grass, Black Scallop Ajuga is a turfgrass alternative.

So Easy to Care For
Caring for Black Scallop Ajuga is a breeze using these few tips:

• Sun. Although foliage color is enhanced by sun, plants are also shade-tolerant. Sites that receive part sun and part shade are optimal.

• Soil. Moist, but not overly wet, soils support the best growth. Plant in soil that drains well. In low-lying areas that hold standing water after heavy rains, crown rot may be a problem.

• Water. If you plant Black Scallop Ajuga underneath trees, the canopies may prevent sufficient rainwater from reaching plants. When establishing new plants, be sure to keep the soil moist.

• Pruning. You don’t have to prune your plants, but if you want to rejuvenate the foliage, cut it to the ground after it flowers in spring.