# What Flowers are These? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986 "2015-05-01T13:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZomZom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zomzom/32/5620_2.png) [@ZomZom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZomZom)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/1 "2015-05-01T13:07:22Z")
These flowers are in my back yard in Maryland. They’re really pretty but I don’t know what they are. Any info appreciated. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/8779/16669328203_d175e23b10_b.jpg "Ajuga reptans") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/mangoldm/16669328203/) [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/7656/16669329553_390faf34ac_b.jpg "Ajuga reptans") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/mangoldm/16669329553/in/photostream/) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/2 "2015-05-01T13:14:18Z")
They look like [lupins](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus). ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/3 "2015-05-01T13:30:20Z")
Deffo not Lupins. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/4 "2015-05-01T13:34:38Z")
[Texas](https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+bluebonnet&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uoBDVYa3LcLFogSB4IGYCw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=635) bluebonnet? ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/5 "2015-05-01T13:43:24Z")
Look like Bugle to me. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/6 "2015-05-01T13:45:41Z")
[Bugle](https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bugle+plant&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=632&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=P4NDVcDFO4O07gabs4CQBA&sqi=2&ved=0CCYQsAQ) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/7 "2015-05-01T14:28:30Z")
Yep, Ajuga. The photos in the OP look like a severe case of [Ajugalawn](http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/pixielou5/media/April%202012/IMG_1305.jpg.html). Attractive at times, difficult to cure, but not hopeless. ---
**Author:** ![ZomZom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zomzom/32/5620_2.png) [@ZomZom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZomZom)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/8 "2015-05-01T14:47:39Z")
Thanks, looks like Bugle/Ajuga. I see some people consider it a weed. I like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/9 "2015-05-01T15:22:55Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > They look like [lupins](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus). About the only resemblance is the color. The flowers are completely different. Bugle _Aguja reptans_ is a member of the mint family, while lupins _Lupinus_ are members of the pea family (legumes). ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/10 "2015-05-01T15:54:34Z")
It it’s in the mint family, that explains its “weediness” aka tenacity. If that’s the case, considering it a low-maintenance addition of color, rather than a hard-to-kill undesirable, may go a long way towards preserving your mental health. IOW: glad you like them! 🙂 - **purplehorseshoe** , who is fond of the dandelions and oxalis other folks waste energy trying to kill ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/11 "2015-05-01T15:55:15Z")
> [@ZomZom](#): > > Thanks, looks like Bugle/Ajuga. I see some people consider it a weed. I like it. 🙂 We used it as ground-cover on a hillside in our yard. It’s only a weed if it’s growing where you do not want it.😛 ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/12 "2015-05-01T20:15:23Z")
> [@ZomZom](#): > > Thanks, looks like Bugle/Ajuga. I see some people consider it a weed. I like it. 🙂 A weed is just something that grows when or where you don’t want it to. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-flowers-are-these/718986/13 "2015-05-01T20:27:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > We used it as ground-cover on a hillside in our yard. It’s only a weed if it’s growing where you do not want it.😛 Yeah, like in the middle of my lawn :mad: Do you (or anyone else) have any advice about containing it? It’s taking over parts of my lawn, and I could actually grow to like it in some of those spots (like around the base of one tree) if I felt there was a good way to keep it from taking over the rest of the yard. There are some places where they’re even growing over my garden edging and putting down roots on the other side in a very short period of time, so if I’m going to rely on a physical barrier, I obviously need something a little more sophisticated. Otherwise, I’m going to have to nuke the site from orbit.