A spring treasure is about to bloom. Shade-loving Pulmonaria is a
charming perennial that features a parade of flower colors and varied foliage.
Whether you’re looking for white, pink or blue flowers (or blue changing to
pink), pastel shades or bright colors, there’s a Pulmonaria to suit your
fancy. When it’s not blooming, this gem will brighten shady spots with dappled
foliage as diverse in size and pattern as its flower color.
Its common name, lungwort, derives from the former belief that the leaves
were a cure for ailments of the lung. Other monikers are Bethlehem sage,
Jerusalem cowslip, lords and ladies and spotted-dog.
Pulmonaria form mounds, varying from 15 inches to as much as 40 inches wide. They won’t reach a height of much more than 12 inches.
This zone 3 perennial begins to bloom about the same time as the first
daffodils. A fuzzy bud peeks through brown foliage from last summer’s growth.
Clusters of small bell- or funnel- shaped flowers start opening. By mid-spring,
a clump of color forms above mounds of rough, raspy leaves. Pulmonaria
will reward you with a remarkable bloom time. Long after daffodils are done,
this perennial continues to bloom – often for two months.
After flowering finishes, plants produce more leaves, and the beauty of the foliage takes center stage. A few are solid green, like 'rubra', an early flowering variety with coral red blossoms. 'Redstart' is an outstanding choice for color.
But most Pulmonaria cultivars are speckled with silver leaves;
saccharata selections are most readily available. These oval-shaped leaves
with silvery-white speckles include: 'Mrs. Moon' and 'Margery Fish,' which have
pink buds that mature to blue; 'Janet Fisk' has similar flowers carried above
heavily marbled leaves; so does 'Roy Davidson' in a sky blue color fading to
pink. For flowers that stay pink, try 'Pierre’s Pure Pink.' 'Janet Fisk,' 'Argentea'
and 'British Sterling' have silvery leaves ideal for dark corners of shady spot.
'Excalibur' is another excellent selection for foliage color. Its silvery green
leaves are edged in green. It bears rosy red flowers and looks great with vinca.
'Majeste' also features silvery gray leaves with a bit of sheen and narrow green
edge. Flowers open pink and fade to blue.
'Spilled Milk' offers a compact form of wide, heavily silver leaves accented
by a few green spots. Flowers are rose, aging to pink. Another outstanding
rosy-violet flowered selection is 'Raspberry Splash,' which features long,
pointed leaves.
For distinctly long, narrow leaves, consider 'E.B. Anderson.' This
longifolia cultivar has dark leaves with silvery spots and sky blue to rich
violet blue flowers.
Pulmonaria augustifolia are vigorous growers, forming sprawling mats of foliage that make a good ground cover among shrubs. Their dark green, bristly leaves are rarely spotted. They feature a bright blue to deep or violet blue flowers. Among named selections are 'Azurea,' 'Benediction' and 'Munstead Blue.' For a cobalt blue flower and lance-shaped leaves with small silver spots, try 'Little Star,' a smaller, but equally vigorous blue lungwort.
For more variation in foliage, consider 'David Ward' with its apple green leaves edged in white. 'Diana Clare,' a longifolia hybrid with violet-blue flowers, also has apple green leaves with a stunning sheen. 'Golden Haze' has creamy gold edges on a distinctly gold-green leaf.
White-flowering varieties include 'Sissinghurst White,' and 'Ice Ballet.' The
latter has larger blooms and good disease resistance.
Pulmonaria combine well with spring-blooming bulbs and a variety of
shade-loving plants. Silver-leafed varieties are striking with burgundy-foliaged
Heuchera (coral bells) such as 'Palace Purple' or 'Chocolate Ruffles.'
They mix well with most any hue of hosta.
Other good companions are Dicentra (bleeding heart), Primula, Polygonatum (Solomon’s seal), hellebores, Epimedium (barrenwort) and Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' (Japanese painted fern) or Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair fern). Or, plant Pulmonaria in front of these wood-land plants that go dormant after spring bloom: Mertensia (Virginia bluebells) or Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star). Ground covers that work well with lungwort are vinca, creeping phlox, Lamium and sweet woodruff.
Shallow roots won’t interfere with shrubs, making Pulmonaria ideal ground covers. 'Goldflame' Spirea and gold barberry provide good contrast with the blue-flowering lungworts. Gray-barked Amelanchier (serviceberry) and Carpinus caroliniana (blue beech) complement them.
Pulmonaria are easy to grow. They prefer light shade and need
consistent moisture and rich, organic soil with good drainage. An ideal location
is the edge of woods or along woodland paths. They reseed easily. If you don’t
want seedlings, cut off stalks at their base after flower clusters have finished
blooming. Insects, deer or rabbits rarely bother them. They also are
disease-resistant. If foliage dies out, it’s probably in too much sun and
without enough water. Plants lacking water may develop mildew.
Pulmonaria can be left undisturbed for many years. Divide crowded clumps after flowering in spring or in early autumn. Dig up the entire clump and pull the crown apart. Use an old butcher knife to slice off new sections, which often are connected by a tough rhizome. You’ll continue to be rewarded with many new plants to provide a full season of interest for you and friends.
– Nick Schultz, Portage Co. MG
