Bring Light to the Shade Garden with Pulmonaria!

A grouping of some of our favorite Pulmonaria varieties

In this entry, you'll learn:

• That Pulmonaria is a Spring bloomer

• Its preferred growing conditions

• The history of its common name, "Lungwort"

• Why do the leaves have spots?

• Pulmonaria bloom colors

• Lungwort is deer and rabbit resistant

• The leaves are great for salads!

Pulmonaria 'Shrimps on the Barbie'

Welcome back to Bountiful Gardens! We’re back in Ewing this week to talk about another fantastic early Spring blooming perennial: the Pulmonaria! 

Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Splash'

Last week we talked about how Hellebores are one of the first blooms of the Spring season, and soon after blooms the Pulmonaria! Their blooms start to pop open around the first or second week of March, and are one of the first food sources for honeybees and insects. 

Pulmonaria 'Opal'

Another feature that Pulmonaria shares with Hellebores is that they thrive in shade gardens. They do best in an area that is evenly moist and shielded from direct sun. 

Pulmonaria 'Opal'

A common name for Pulmonaria is “Lungwort,” because in the Middle Ages, people thought that the spotted leaves of the pant resembled diseased lungs. Curiously, they thought this meant the plant could be used to treat lung diseases. These days, we know that’s not the case, but those leaf spots sure are a pretty feature!

An early-season honeybee feeds on Pulmonaria 'High Contrast'

These plants are closely related to Borage, so they have fuzzy leaves with raised flower stalks. And speaking of those speckles, they’re actually caused by pockets of air that separate the top of the leaf from the bottom, acting like cooling chambers. This helps the plant make it through hotter temperatures. 

The dramatic foliage of Pulmonaria 'High Contrast'

The flowers on Pulmonaria range from pink to violet and even silvery blue. On some varieties, you can even get multiple colors, with flowers staring pink and then changing to a blue or purple. 

Pulmonaria 'High Contrast' blooms from pink to purple!

Because the leaves and stems are covered in tiny little hairs, Pulmonaria is considered deer and rabbit resistant, but that doesn’t mean we can’t munch on them! The plant is edible to humans and kind of tastes a bit like a green bean. Plus, those fuzzy leaves really help to hold onto dressing in a salad. 

The neon pink blooms of Pulmonaria 'Shrimps on the Barbie'

 Whether you choose to call it Pulmonaria or Lungwort, these dazzling perennials are sure to add a breath of fresh air to your shade garden. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wXlyGTJuz8