Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans) is in the Mint Family family (Lamiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,073 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Carpet Bugle: observations by month (U.S.)
About Carpet Bugle
Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, carpetweed, carpet bugleweed, and common bugle, and traditionally but less commonly as St. Lawrence plant. It is an herbaceous flowering plant, in the mint family, native to Europe. It is invasive in parts of North America. Grown as a garden plant it provides useful groundcover. Numerous cultivars have been selected, of which 'Catlin's Giant' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Ajuga...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Carpet Bugle by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 278 | May | Apr–May |
| New York | 254 | May | Apr–May |
| Massachusetts | 179 | May | May–May |
| Washington | 174 | May | Apr–May |
| Ohio | 151 | May | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 121 | May | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 118 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Virginia | 109 | April | Apr–Apr |
| New Jersey | 78 | May | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 60 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kentucky | 58 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Connecticut | 51 | May | Apr–May |
| Oregon | 50 | April | Apr–May |
| West Virginia | 49 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Michigan | 45 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 43 | May | May–Jun |
| Maine | 34 | May | May–Jun |
| Mississippi | 34 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Tennessee | 30 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Illinois | 29 | May | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 24 | May | Apr–May |
| Wisconsin | 17 | May | May–Jun |
| Delaware | 16 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 12 | April | Apr–May |
| Alabama | 11 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Minnesota | 9 | May | May–Jun |
| Georgia | 8 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 8 | May | Apr–May |
| District of Columbia | 6 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Iowa | 6 | April | Apr–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Mint Family)
Red Deadnettle
Common Selfheal
Ground-Ivy
Henbit Deadnettle
Wild Bergamot
Lyreleaf Sage
Chia
American germander
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Carpet Bugle?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Carpet Bugle most often seen?
The most observations come from Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts.