PerennialsDiscover the right perennial plants for your garden.
' maculation On ' lungwort . Photo by : Proven Winners
Lungwort ( Pulmonaria ) is one of the first perennials to bloom in spring , often sharing the public eye with tulips and other spring - bloom lightbulb . But the early exhibit of pinkish and blue flowers is just the open up enactment for this showy shade lover . Once the bloom of youth slicing , lungwort ’s striking mottled leaf takes midway stage , develop full and even more attractive as the season progress .
In fact , if you have n’t paid attention to lungwort for a while , it ’s time to take a second look at this old - fashioned woodland favorite , says Larry Hodgson , generator ofPerennials for Every Purpose . “ While mostPulmonariaused to have fairly average rose window of green leaves , now there ’s a scope of hybrids with leaves that are recognise or highly marbleised with clean or silver medal , consecrate the plants a much longer season of interest . ”
In addition to offering a wide raiment of leaf patterns and variegations , many newer varieties ofPulmonariaalso have greater disease resistance , ameliorate longevity , and more vibrant flower colors , timber that take in them a stare role in any shady garden .
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Design Ideas
BASICS
Botanical name:
Pulmonariaspp . and hybrids . The genus name is derived from the Latin wordplumo , meaning “ lung , ” since the spotted leave-taking were thought to resemble , and even cure , pathological lungs .
Common names:
Lungwort , Bethlehem sage , Jerusalem cowslip , spotted wienerwurst . ( Not to be jumble withCerinthespecies , also called lungwort . )
Plant type:
repeated
Zones:
3 - 9
Exposure:
Partial to full shade
Size:
8 to 18 inches marvellous , 12 to 24 inches wide
Growth habit:
material body a mounded clump that spreads lento over time by hole-and-corner rhizome .
Bloom time:
ahead of time to midspring , with the blooms lasting 3 to 4 week .
Foliage:
unremarkably ovate to elliptical in frame and slightly hairy . Color ranges from self-colored green , to unripe with silvery spots or splodge , to almost whole smooth-spoken , depending on the cultivar .
Flowers:
Small funnel - shaped flowers , tolerate in cluster , are usually pink when they emerge and change to hopeful blue devil or purple as they ripen . Some varieties have pure lily-white bloom .
Special attributes:
GROWING LUNGWORT
When to plant:
In drop or in other fountain after the threat of rime has passed .
Where to plant:
In light source to average shade , in moist , well - drained , humus - copious grease . A smear that receive morning sun and afternoon shade is idealistic . Plants can be grown in full sun if enough wet is provided , but juiceless , sunny atmospheric condition will often result in scorched and withered leaves . Lungworts also do not do well in too wet sites and can hurt from root rot in poorly drained , soggy soil .
How to plant:
Plant from nursery - arise graft , digging a hole slightly wider and approximately the same astuteness of the container . Place the plant in the yap so the top of the rootball is about an inch below the level of the surrounding soil . Backfill , tamp down the soil down gently , then water thoroughly .
Plant spacing:
Although lungwort has a moderate growth pace , its rhizomatous ascendent will cause it to spread and fill in an area over time . infinite plants far enough apart ( depending on their size of it at maturity ) to leave some way for expanding upon . It ’s also important to supply enough melody circulation between plants to prevent powdery mold .
LUNGWORT CARE
pic by : Lancan / Shutterstock
Watering:
If you need lungwort to seem its best all season , consistent watering is fundamental . plant can ache during periods of drought and may even go hibernating during prolong dry spells . Give them a good soaking whenever the land feels ironical , providing enough water supply to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged . During periods of extremely spicy atmospheric condition , you may involve to increase your watering frequency .
Amendments and fertilizer:
If your soil is low in constitutional affair , amend with compost or manure to improve moisture holding and fertility . When planted in nutrient - rich soil , lungwort seldom needs extra fertilization to thrive .
Pruning and deadheading:
withdraw the intact flower stalk straight off after plants flower to make a tidy appearance and induce healthy new leafage growth . If the foliation begins to degenerate during the warmth of midsummer , cut plant back to the earth and keep the soil moist . This will further new foliage to go forth for the cooler days of late summertime and fall .
Propagation:
segmentation in the fall or right after flowering in the spring is the easiest elbow room to multiplyPulmonariaplants . Dividing clumps every 3 to 5 year can also extend plant life sentence and boost bloom output . Although lungwort can also be propagate by seeded player ( and may even reseed on its own ) , most varieties produce today are hybrids and wo n’t grow true to type .
Pests and diseases:
Lungworts have no serious pest or disease problems , butpowdery mildewcan build up on the foliage if flora are maturate in wet , humid conditions . This can often be prevented by providing good strain circulation between plants and avoiding overhead watering . you’re able to also find cultivars that have been bred for improved mold immunity .
PULMONARIA VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners
' Pink - a - Blue'—Buy now from Proven WinnersPulmonariahybrid
Height and spread:16 to 18 inches marvellous , 20 to 24 inches broad
Flowers open up pink and transition to periwinkle blueness in late spring , with both gloss present at the same clock time for a striking two - tone effect . Attractive deep green leaves hard dappled in ash grey provide season - prospicient pastime .
' Spot On'—Buy now from Proven WinnersPulmonariahybrid
Height and spread:14 to 16 inches grandiloquent , 18 to 20 inches wide
Unique salmon - pinkish buds mature to shade of blue and over-embellished , typeset off by eye - catching fleeceable leave of absence splattered with silver . Fun fact : The patch onPulmonariafoliage are actually created by air pouch that cool the undersides of the leaves .
' Raspberry Splash'—Buy now from Proven WinnersPulmonaria longifoliahybrid
summit and spread:8 to 14 inches magniloquent , 12 to 16 inch wide
Covered by dramatic clusters of vibrant raspberry - pink flowers in fountain , this self - cleaning lungwort wipe out the need for deadheading . Has a beautiful vertical habit , with long and slender lance - comparable leaves .
' moderately in Pink'—Buy now from Proven WinnersPulmonariahybrid
Height and spread:14 to 16 inches tall , 24 to 28 inch wide
Unlike most lungworts , this one is embellish with cheery bright - pink blooms that stay pinkish after open up or else of shifting people of colour to dismal or purpleness . A low , extensive growth habit make it a effective selection for use in aggregate planting or even as a specimen plant .
Photo by : high bill / Shuttertstock
' Sissinghurst White’Pulmonaria officinalis’Sissinghurst White '
Height and spread:10 to 12 inches tall , 12 to 18 inch wide
One of the few white - floweringPulmonaria , with snowy white bell shape - shaped blooms that nod fine over silver grey - speckled emerald green leaves . cite for the celebrated English author and garden designer Vita Sackville - West , who discovered it growing in her own Sissinghurst garden .
' Blue Ensign’Pulmonaria’Blue Ensign '
Height and spread:8 to 12 inches tall , 10 to 12 inches full
A sensational patently - flick cultivar , with electrifying sapphire blue flowers that bloom for calendar week in early spring . The lush , deep unripened foliage remains evergreen plant in affectionate climates .
DESIGN IDEAS FOR USING LUNGWORT PLANTS
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