Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys

Scientific Name: Ajuga chamaepitys (Lamiaceae).

English Name: Ground-pine (Dead-nettle family).

French Name: Le Bugle petit-pin (='little pine bugle').

5 Key Characters:

• yellow tubular flowers with a large red spotted lower lip.
• pine resin smell when crushed.
• leaves look like conifer leaves.
• very low growing (5 - 20 cm high).
• hairy.

Lookalikes: None.

Habitat: Open stony calcareous soil, including arable fields.

Flowering Period: April-May-June-July-August-September-October.


Status: Rare.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature: