Pulmonaria officinalis
lungwort
Overview
Pulmonaria officinalis is a low, clump-forming perennial of the borage family, growing 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) tall and spreading slowly by short rhizomes to about 18 inches (45 cm) wide. The oval, pointed leaves are roughly hairy and marked with pale white or silver spots, which gave rise to the old belief that the plant treated lung complaints. In early spring, before the leaves are fully grown, it carries clusters of funnel-shaped flowers that open pink and turn violet-blue as they age, so both colours appear in the same cluster. After flowering, a fresh flush of larger, spotted leaves forms a low groundcover for the rest of the season. It grows in damp, humus-rich soil in woodland, hedge banks, and shaded gardens, where it tolerates deep shade. Native across central and eastern Europe, it is widely grown and naturalized elsewhere. The leaves are prone to powdery mildew in dry summers, when they may need cutting back, and growth suffers in hot, dry, sunny positions.
Native Range
Pulmonaria officinalis is native to central and eastern Europe. It is widely cultivated in temperate gardens and has naturalized in woodland and on shaded banks in Britain and elsewhere.Suggested Uses
Used as groundcover in shade and woodland gardens, under shrubs, and along damp, shaded borders, where the early flowers feed emerging bees. The spotted foliage gives season-long ground cover in shaded sites.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 1'
Width/Spread1' - 1'6"
Bloom Information
Funnel-shaped flowers open from March to May, early among the woodland perennials. Each flower opens pink and shifts through mauve to violet-blue with age, so a single cluster shows several colours at once. The flowers draw early bees before most other nectar is available.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
green with white spotsGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in part to full shade on moist, humus-rich soil and dislikes hot, dry, sunny positions. A soil pH from 6.0 to 7.5 suits it, and a mulch of leaf mould keeps the roots cool and damp. Clumps are lifted and divided after flowering or in autumn to renew growth and increase stock. The leaves are prone to powdery mildew in dry spells, and cutting affected foliage to the ground brings a clean new flush. Established plants tolerate drought in shade but scorch in sun. It is hardy to USDA zone 4.Pruning
Old and mildewed leaves are cut back to the ground after flowering to bring fresh growth. Spent flower stems are removed at the same time. No other pruning is needed.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons