Content
Varieties of Creeping Tenacious with photos and names are not difficult to find. It is more difficult to understand the types of plants of the Ayuga genus, so as not to make a mistake when purchasing. Only one representative of Zhivuchek is bred as a decoration for the garden, but due to the variety of varieties, it is often difficult to recognize what exactly the seller is offering.
What does a survivor look like?
This name hides not a specific flower, but a botanical genus that includes 71 plant species. The Latin name is Ajuga. Tenacious also has several other Russian names:
- Dubnitsa;
- Dubrovka;
- young;
- voloboat.
Not all types of ayuga, of course, bear this name. Only 5 species are common in Russia.
Due to the presence of a large number of plant species in the genus, descriptions of ayuga can vary greatly. There are survivors:
- perennial and annual;
- with creeping or erect stems;
- yellow or blue flowers;
- smooth or pubescent, wide or needle-like leaves;
- appearance - grass or shrub.
But the survivors also have common features.The same ones that made it possible to identify all these diverse plants into one genus.
Botanical description of survivors
The height of these annual and perennial herbs is 5-50 cm. The leaves are always opposite. The flowers sit on the tops of the stems in false whorls.
The corolla is bell-shaped, fused-petalled, with 5 teeth. After flowering it dries out. The color of the petals is:
- blue;
- yellow;
- purple;
- blue.
Stems can be creeping, erect or ascending.
The foliage of the tenacious plants is most diverse. It is divided into root and stem. The first group is large in size. May be spatulate, with jagged edges. Capable of wintering. The second is smaller than the basal one and few in number. It has an oval or obverse heart-shaped shape. Gradually turns into bracts.
Wild growing ajuga creeping is an inconspicuous plant; garden varieties are more beautiful and, like their wild ancestor, are frost-resistant, which allows you to grow flowers without shelter for the winter
Types and varieties of survivors
In fact, only one type of ajuga is grown in gardens: creeping ajuga. This species has many varieties, while others cannot boast of such variety.
Creeping tenacious
In Latin Ajuga reptans. There are also popular names “gorlyanka” and “neck”. The range of the wild variant of the creeping ajuga covers the whole of Europe.Creeping tenacious grows on forest edges, clearings and among bushes. This is a perennial herb.
Its peculiarity is polymorphism, that is, the ability to greatly change the phenotype. Creeping tenacious can have different hairiness of leaves, color of corolla and leaves, and flowering time. Creeping shoots, for which this type of ayuga received its name, are absent in some cases.
The leaves are oval, soft. Their edges can be wavy or short-toothed. Pubescence is present on both sides or only on the top.
Long creeping shoots grow from the basal rosette, the height of which is no more than 8 cm. The tenacious fish uses them for vegetative propagation. Its rhizome is short and has no stolons.
Flowering begins in spring. Stems no more than 35 cm high begin to grow from under the basal rosettes. Peduncles may be pubescent. Or not.
The basal leaves have long petioles, the stem leaves are sessile. The bracts are ovoid, entire. The lower ones are longer than the flowers, the upper ones are shorter.
The two-lipped flowers are located in the axils of the bracts and are actually quite inconspicuous. The color of the corolla varies:
- blue;
- blue;
- purple.
Much less common, but pink or white flowers are also found.
Inflorescences are spike-shaped. The dried corolla does not fall off, but remains with the fruit. Its average length is 1.5 cm. The fruit is a round nut of light brown color. In fact, it consists of 4 segments, each of which is a separate seed. The length of the lobule is 2.5 mm.
Creeping ayuga seeds are small, but have good germination
In central Russia, flowering lasts from April to July.
Creeping ajuga is used in gardening as a ground cover and early flowering plant. She can also be a honey plant. But this is when the bees have no other choice. There is little nectar in flowers, and it is difficult for insects to obtain it. Thanks to the use of the plant in landscape design, more than 10 ornamental varieties have been developed. These varieties do not require any specific planting and care techniques. Externally, they also differ not much. Therefore, there is no point in describing each of them separately. It is enough to indicate the name of the creeping tenacious variety along with the photo:
- Atropurpurea/Purpurea;
The tenacious creeping Purpurea differs from its wild ancestor in violet or purple leaves, which do not harmonize well with the color of the flowers.
- Black Scallop;
The description says that Black Scallop has large, brown leaves, but the latter is hardly true; rather, they are purple
- Multicolor/Rainbow;
The main distinguishing feature of the creeping tenacious variety Multicalor is its multicolored, rich blue color of the corollas is lost against the background of stem leaves, colored purple, white and pink.
- Burgundy Glow;
The color of the variegated leaves of Burgundy Glow alternates cream and burgundy colors, against which the blue petals of the corolla are lost
- Catlin's Giant;
At first glance, the Caitlin's Giant variety does not differ from wild ajuga creeping; its leaves are larger and its flower stalks are 45 cm high, while the prototype has no more than 35
- Jungle Beauty;
Jungle Beauty differs from the wild prototype and other varieties of creeping tenacious in its dark green leaves with a burgundy tint, large size and rapid vegetative propagation
- Braun Hertz;
The main difference between Brown Hertz is the very dark, almost black, burgundy stem leaves
- Pink Elf;
The compact, low-growing variety Pink Elf has light or dark pink flowers.
- Variegata;
This Variegata mutation is the most common among garden and indoor plants: parts of the leaves are discolored
- Rosea;
Rosea has pale pink flowers and light green foliage, but is otherwise very similar to the original ajuga repens.
- Alba;
The name Alba directly indicates the white color of the corollas; the variety looks more advantageous than creeping tenacious ones with corollas of other colors
- Chocolate Chip;
Chocolight chip is the shortest variety of creeping ajuga, the height of the peduncles does not exceed 5 cm
- Arctic snow.
What distinguishes Arctic Snow from the Alba variety is that the former has a larger area of discolored areas of the leaf, but flowers, if any, are unlikely to attract attention
Vibrant hairy/Geneva
In Latin Ajuga genevensis. A close relative of the creeping tenacious, with which it forms hybrids. Perennial grass.
The height of the peduncle is up to 0.5 m. The rosette leaves are obovate or oblong-spatulate. The edges are crenate-toothed, rarely almost entire. Stem: lower ones are oblong, upper ones are crenate-toothed.
Flowering from April to June. Petals are blue. The fruits are hairy dark brown nuts up to 3 mm long.
It is found throughout Europe from France to western Russia. Grows in dry forests, meadows and bushes. Naturalized in America, “escaping” from the gardens.
Although hairy ayuga is often grown in gardens along with creeping ayuga, it has no varieties. But this tenacious species has two wild varieties: A. genevensis var. arida and A. genevensis var. elatior.
The first subspecies grows in mountain meadows. The leaves and stems are covered with short silvery bristles. The second is also a mountain plant, but the stems are only selectively pubescent. Both subspecies differ slightly from each other in the shape and size of leaves and bracts.
Ayuga Geneva is very similar to creeping tenacious, but its leaves and flowers are located at a greater distance from each other
Pyramidal survivor
They are also often grown in flower beds together with creeping and Geneva tenacious. This is a herbaceous perennial plant. The root is vertical. Stolon-shaped shoots and roots are absent. Peduncles are from 7 to 30 cm high. The stems are ribbed. May be pubescent or bare.
The rosette leaves are obovate. The average length is 6x3 cm. The edges are entire or blunt-toothed. They don't wither for a long time. The upper bracts are egg-shaped, bluish or red-violet in color. Rarely their color can be green. The edges of these leaves are entire or serrated.
The inflorescence is dense, the whorls consist of 4-8 flowers with a corolla length up to 3 cm. The color of the petals is pale bluish-lilac. The fruit is a yellowish-brown, obovate-shaped nut. The surface is shiny, mesh. Length up to 2.5 mm.
In nature, ayuga pyramidalis grows at an altitude of 300-2700 m above sea level. In fact, its range is all of Europe, where there are deciduous forests, as well as alpine pastures and meadows.
Against the background of large colored leaves, the flowers of the wild pyramidal tenacious are almost invisible, although they are larger than those of their “relatives”
Wild ayuga looks like a small, strong tower that is not easy to break. Of course, this is not true, the grass has a thin stem. This can be clearly seen if you look at the most popular cultivar of pyramidal survivor: Metallica Crispa.
Metallica Crispa
This mutation looks more like Geneva ajuga, but is not it. Its remaining characteristics correspond to the wild-growing prototype.
The leaves of the Metallica Crispa variety are shiny, bronze-violet in color, this is the most famous and decorative variety of pyramidal ajuga
Turkestan tenacious
It is quite rarely used in landscape design, although the plant is elegant. This is a low-branched perennial subshrub with high, from 10 to 50 cm, stems and a powerful rhizome. It will be difficult to remove it as unnecessary. The diameter of the stems is 3-5 mm. The color is usually light brown. May be reddish. And very rarely whitish below. Pubescence is absent everywhere except the very top of the branches with young, thin leaves. The shoots do not become woody. There are no spines.
Flowers are planted on stalks. The color of the corolla is pink or purple, length 25-40 mm.
In the wild, the Turkestan tenacious is found in Central Asia. On the territory of the former
The subshrub is decorative enough to serve as a flowerbed decoration
The above-ground part can also be used to make tonic tea. Dried leaves and flowers are used for diarrhea as an astringent and for rinsing the mouth during inflammatory processes.
Herringbone tenacious
She is Ajuga Chamaepithys Schreb. It is found in the southern regions of Russia and sometimes in the central zone. A perennial herb 10-40 cm high. At first glance, the stems really look like young fir trees. Single yellow flowers at the ends of the shoots usually bloom in May. The stems are quadrangular, reddish-purple. The needle-like leaves are 4 cm long and divided into three lobes. When rubbed they have a pine smell. The seeds are black and shiny.
Herringbone ayuga has a tonic and diuretic effect, but it is dangerous for pregnant women, as it causes uterine contractions
Pseudochios tenacious
She is Ajuda chia schreiber. Distributed mainly in warm regions:
- Asia Minor;
- Southern Europe;
- in the Caucasus;
- in Iran.
It is also found in the south of Russia.Prefers open, dry areas with relatively poor soil.
The stems are erect or erect, up to 20 cm high. There are two options for pubescence: evenly in a circle or alternately on both sides. In the latter case, the bristles may be pressed.
The shape of rosette leaves is varied. They can be oval, solid or divided at the top into three teeth. Taper towards the petiole. The stem is usually three-toed, with narrow lobes. Covered with long bristles.
Yellow flowers are located in the axils of the upper leaves, one at a time or in a bunch of 2-4 pieces. Corolla up to 25 mm long. A distinctive feature is purple stripes and specks on the lower “lip”. The fruits are relatively large, compared to other types of tenacious ones - 3-4 mm. Oblong. The surface is wrinkled.
Flowering time: May-September. Ripening of nuts: June-October.
Due to its unpretentiousness, the tenacious pseudochios is well suited for growing in large rocky gardens
It is necessary to monitor the growth of the species, as it quickly forms a continuous soil cover and can choke out more valuable plants.
Laxmann's Toughness
Latin name Ajuga laxmannii. Steppe plant. In Russia it is found in the southern regions.
Laxmann's survivor is perennial. Stems with many large pubescent leaves. The shape of the latter can be ovoid or oblong. The edges are solid. Due to the dense pubescence, the leaves have a silvery tint. The height of the stems is 20-50 cm.
Laxmann's tenacious plant grows in small clumps, which look very decorative in the garden, but are completely lost in the steppe grass
Small, inconspicuous flowers are lost against the general background of the leaves, but upon closer examination they are not inferior in beauty to other types of tenacious plants.
Eastern tenacious
She is also Ajuga orientalis.Habitat: Western Asia and Southern Europe. In Russia it can be found in the mountainous Crimea. The height of the peduncles is 10-30 cm. The upper leaves are divided into segments. Blue flowers are located relatively sparsely on the stem.
The eastern tenacious is a little similar to the creeping one, but in the wild it is completely lost in the thick grass
Planting and care
The wild creeping survivor is unpretentious. It grows well in both sun and partial shade. It is also undemanding to the soil. But a lot depends on the variety. Decorative varieties are sensitive to light intensity. But most varieties of creeping tenacious prefer partial shade.
In gardens, it is often planted in the trunks of fruit trees. As the creeping ayuga grows, it drowns out any weeds.
Creeping ayuga is planted in loosened, moist soil. At first, the seedlings need to be watered frequently so that they take root better. Further watering is carried out rarely and only during a prolonged drought. The tenacious creeping insect easily tolerates the absence of rain for a month.
Creeping ayuga seedlings are planted in April-May, without fear of spring frosts. This is a frost-resistant plant that can easily withstand temperatures down to -10 °C.
Caring for creeping ayuga takes a little time and mainly comes down to weeding it. The plant was called tenacious for a reason. Thanks to stolon-shaped creeping stems capable of rooting, it very quickly takes over free space. If its growth is not controlled, it will quickly choke out all other plants. You can reduce the “appetite” of the creeping insect by making a barrier for it from special materials.
The growth of the aggressor is prevented by what does not allow it to take root: slate, stones, concrete, synthetic material.
Conclusion
It is difficult to list all the varieties of creeping tenacious with photos and names. Due to its unpretentiousness and endurance, this type of ayuga is very popular among gardeners. During its cultivation, many varieties were bred and new ones continue to appear.
