Bugle - Ajuga reptans

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Description

A hairy plant up to about 20 cm tall, with long rooting runners. Stems hairy on two opposing sides often rather woolly. Leaves oval slightly toothed and often flushed with bronze. Flowers violet blue 14 to 17 mm in leafy spikes, dense at first.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Woodland, occasionally in grasslands

When to see it

April to June.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Fairly frequent throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 246 of the 617 tetrads.

  • David Nicholls
    Sheet Hedges Wood
    02 May 2014
  • David Nicholls
    Sheet Hedges Wood
    02 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    28 April 2014
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    21 May 2007
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    26 April 2007
  • David Nicholls
    Cribbs Meadow
    16 May 2014
  • AJ Cann
    Muston Meadows
    26 April 2015

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Bugle
Species group:
flowering plant
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Lamiales
Family:
Lamiaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
199
First record:
11/05/1992 (John Mousley;Steve Grover)
Last record:
22/03/2026 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    28 April 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Wood
    28 April 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    05 May 2007
  • David Gould
    Osiers Nature Area
    21 May 2008
  • Graham Calow
    Jubilee Walk, Leire
    17 May 2011
  • David Nicholls
    20 Acre Piece
    23 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    24 April 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    12 April 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    12 May 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Holwell Nature Reserve
    17 May 2012
  • Alan Semper
    Holwell, Fred Lawrie Walk
    05 May 2014
  • Alan Semper
    Holwell, Fred Lawrie Walk
    05 May 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    16 May 2013
  • David Gould
    Narborough Bog, Leics
    21 May 2015
  • David Gould
    Narborough Bog, Leics
    21 May 2015