Here are images of three of the “next generation” ajuga cultivars, all selections of the Italian Ajuga tenorii. These in-ground photos were all taken at JLBG on April 1. These new ajugas don’t spread wildly or seed around like many of the older, more commonly grown offerings. We think they are pretty darn amazing! The top photo of Ajuga ‘Blueberry Muffin’ represents several plants, planted on 1′ centers. The second image is a single plant of Ajuga ‘Cordial Canary’, and the third is a single plant of Ajuga ‘Petite Parakeet’. These are actually non-staged images, unlike the highly staged, completely unrealistic, manufactured photos you often see in the Dutch-centric catalogs. Hardy from zone 4a to 9b.
Are they also NextGen in resistance to crown rot?
We have seen far better garden survivability with these than many of the selections of Ajuga reptans with regard to crown rot. This seems to equate with smaller leaves that hold less moisture, especially in winter. That said, no ajuga is complete immune to crown rot. We noticed a significant difference in crown rot where ajugas were planted in the garden with regard to crown rot. Those where snow melted faster or accumulated less did not suffer from crown rot, where others in more exposed locations did suffer some.