Plant Profile: Pulmonaria

By Alyce Goldman

Pulmonaria is an excellent shade plant that offers interest beyond flowers. Commonly known as Lungwort because the spotted leaves on many cultivars reminded early botanists of a diseased lung, the silver spots on the leaves are actually foliar air pockets which help the plant regulate heat.  In spite of the unfortunate name, Pulmonarias are a versatile edging perennial that offers early spring flowers and then continued long-term interest for the rest of the year.

Pulmonarias thrive in part shade with moderate moisture. Add chopped leaves or compost to the soil to retain moisture.  Deer and rabbit resistant, Pulmonarias are long-lived and will politely expand into a wider clump with time.

Once they are established, little maintenance is required other than cutting back spent flowers.  Deadheading invigorates and encourages a flush of new leaves.  Excessively dry conditions may bring on powdery mildew and leaf scorch so supplemental water may be needed during hot, dry periods. If leaves become tattered, simply trim off for a flush of new growth.

There are many cultivars of this lovely perennial. Here is the scoop on a couple of them.

Pulmonaria rubra ‘Red Start’ is an early blooming cultivar that will kick off the gardening season in late March with coral red tubular flowers.  ‘Red Start’ is unusual among Pulmonarias because it has bright green rather than spotted leaves. The solid leaves provide nice contrast to its red flowers so no garden interest is lost.  It grows about 10 inches tall 2 feet wide at maturity. This variety is one of the first perennials to bloom in spring so it is a good companion to early bulbs and extends the flowering period if planted with other Pulmonarias.

Pulmonaria saccharata ‘Mrs. Moon’ is the quintessential classic Pulmonaria with deep green leaves with silver spotting that are interesting on their own but also create a lovely background to the early blooming flowers.  Her flower buds are pink with the flower maturing to a blue in April to May.   Once the spent flowers are removed, the variegated foliage blends well with other shade lovers like Hostas, Dicentra, Heuchera, and ferns.  In mild winters the foliage can be evergreen.  ‘Mrs. Moon’ received a four-star rating from the Chicago Botanical Gardens’ Pulmonaria trials.  It demonstrated excellent plant health, winter hardiness, and disease and pest resistance.

Consider adding some Pulmonarias to your shadier areas to add a bit of deer and rabbit resistant, multi-season beauty.