Can Carpet Bugle Grow Under A Maple Tree

Under planting can also increase the planting acreage making use of otherwise dull or lost space.

Can carpet bugle grow under a maple tree.

How to plant under maple trees. Most maple trees have shallow aggressive roots. If you dig into the soil more than a few. Bugleweed is a low growing ground cover usually staying under 6 inches.

Trailing rooting ground covers have trailing stems that spread out from a central root system. Thick leathery lobed leaves grow from running stems that root where they touch the ground forming a thick carpet 6 12 inches high. First of all trees create a rain shadow where it is always drier beneath a tree. Others revile it because it climbs literally everything it touches and can be invasive unless carefully controlled.

Ajuga ground cover spreads through runners and as a member of the mint family it can get out of control without proper care. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9 can tolerate poor soil partial shade and even plant killing black walnut. To shear back a large area of bugleweed use a lawnmower set to a high blade height. It is a trailing rooting ground cover.

However when placed in strategic locations its quick growth and mat forming trait can provide instant coverage with only a few plants. To keep the plant under control rigorously prune runners twice a year. Evergreen in most regions it is perfect for planting between stepping stones or in wall crevices. Planting under maple trees acer spp is a challenge for several reasons.

As most maple species are large trees under planting species should be chosen for complementary characteristics such a shade tolerance preference for moist and acidic soil as well as to complement and contrast the appearance of the tree. Secondly some trees such as maples poplars and willow have heavy feeder roots that rest near the surface making it virtually impossible to grow let alone even dig a hole for planting. Plant bugleweed in an area where air circulation is good spacing the plants about 1 foot apart. Carpet bugle ajuga reptans toots its own horn with spikes of blue flowers in spring and early summer.

Growing anything under trees can be difficult. How to grow bugleweed. Once established this tough plant needs little care and is also hard to eradicate. Fast growing ajuga reptans bronze beauty carpet bugle is a vigorous perennial prized for its rich blue flowers and contrasting bronze tinged leaves which quickly form a dense mat of attractive rosettes.

Tough adaptable bugleweed ajuga reptans hardy in u s.