Bugleweed

Questions about bugleweed

Does bugleweed need sun or shade?

Bugleweed grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does bugleweed grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does bugleweed flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers early May to late May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should bugleweed be planted?

12 in (30 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many bugleweed plants do I need?

At 12 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 12 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 11 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 38 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.

In the bed above, the planner used five in one group.

Is bugleweed poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like bugleweed?

Bugleweed comes from Europe, northern Africa, southwestern Asia. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Robin's plantain 'Lynnhaven Carpet': the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; lavender, not blue, wants average soil.
• Green-and-gold: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; yellow, not blue.
• Creeping woodland phlox: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour; wants average soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat bugleweed?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will bugleweed spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads fast by runners, creeps into lawns and neighbouring plants, and is considered invasive in some regions. Keep it behind a solid edge.

What flowers after bugleweed?

Bugleweed is over by late May. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lady's mantle: from late May to early July, 18 in tall.
• Astilbe: from late June to mid July, 24 in tall.
• Carpathian bellflower 'Blue Clips': from late June to late August, 8 in tall.

What does bugleweed look like in winter?

Bugleweed holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.

Is bugleweed good for bees and butterflies?

Bugleweed is visited by bees, moths, hummingbirds and songbirds.