Ajuga reptans Petite Parakeet

Ajuga Petite Parakeet is a variety of creeping bugle, with a unique and colourful habit. This small perennial quickly forms a carpet of rounded leaves The golden yellow foliage is finely veined with coppery-orange, which become slightly greener over time. Its short spikes of bright blue flowers appear in spring, creating a beautiful contrast with the small golden leaves. It is slightly less vigorous than most forms. This variety is suitable for border and rock garden ornamentation, as well as container gardening. It should always be planted in partial shade or areas with morning sun only.

Ajuga Petite Parakeet is a perennial plant from the Lamiaceae family. It grows fairly quickly, rooting itself with stolons and eventually forming a 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) tall carpet, with a minimum diameter of 40cm (16in). It develops semi-evergreen to evergreen rosettes of oblong, wavy and veined leaves. Their colour changes from yellow to lime green, with fine orange veins. The tips of the leaves are also tinged with coppery-orange. From May onwards, small spikes consisting of flowers no more than a few millimetres in size appear above the foliage. They are bilabiate and vivid blue. The flowers bloom for over a month.

Ajuga Petite Parakeet is a less exuberant variety that will happily occupy the space you give it. Its growth is easy to control by removing wandering stolons. It can make lovely potted displays when combined with florist's anemones, alyssums, or bellflowers. Bugles are among the best ground cover plants. They are perfect for dressing the base of trees and bushes in shaded beds, in combination with spring bulbs or lamiums with colourful foliage, delicate flowers, and beautiful leaves such as elfin flowers (Epimedium), or Geranium macrorrhizum. They are good companions for hostas and shade-loving perennial geraniums. In a moist rock garden, they can be planted alongside Acaena 'Blue Haze' or A. buchananii, Azorella trifurcata 'Nana', lady's mantles, and saxifrages.