Introduction

Here's a riddle: What grows in the shade, has great flowers, and bright silvery foliage?
Answer: Pulmonaria!

This group of plants has literally stayed in the shadows while other perennials have risen to fame. As concerns rise for which plants are resistant to deer attack and provide food for insects and hummingbirds, Pulmonaria come to the rescue. As a horticultural group, the "lungworts", were plagued by mildew problems, thin leaves that were affected by wind and drought, and had a general intolerance of heat and humidity. Enter the new generation. Newer hybrids, especially those derived from Pulmonaria vallarsae have shown tremendous mildew resistance. Species like P. longifolia ssp. cevennensis from Southern France have given newer hybrids more tolerance of heat. Hybrids of both species have put the whole caboodle together, offering all of the benefits as well as superior flower size and flower color. Even the spotting has improved from the pale cultivars of the past, including a number with solid silver leaves and ruffling.

Species & Their Hybrids

There are between 10 and 18 species of Pulmonaria according to Masha Bennett, whose book, Pulmonaria and the Borage Family (Timber Press) is the only dedicated book of its kind. A number of these species are quite obscure and offer little ornamental value. Several species do much horticulturally and fortunately hybridize to combine their "good" characteristics.

• P. angustifolia - dark green foliage, no spotting. Dwarf habit and cobalt blue flowers. Mildew-prone.
• P. longifolia - long, strap-like leaves of dark green, mostly spotted. Pink to violet to deep blue flowers. Mildew-prone, except for P. longifolia ssp. cevennensis.
• P. mollis - Very large growing and vigorous, no spotting. Lovely violet flowers in large masses. Mildew-prone.
• P. officinalis - thin, spotted leaves of light coloration. Flowers are white to light blue. Mildew-prone.
• P. rubra - Ruffled, unspotted leaves of light coloration. Flowers are coral pink. Extremely mildew-resistant.
• P. saccharata - thin, spotted, ruffled leaves of light coloration. Flowers are pale blue to pink. Mildew-prone.
• P. vallarsae - well-spotted, thick and dark green leaves. Flowers are rich ruby to blue-toned. Extremely mildew-resistant.

In hybridizing these plants at Terra Nova®, we made extensive use of Pulmonaria 'Margery Fish' - (a possible hybrid itself of P. vallarsae and P. saccharata) It was chosen for superior mildew-resistance, ruby-gem-like flowers, and thick, well-spotted foliage. We brought in another mildew resistant species, P. rubra, for earliest bloom, and ruffling along the leaf margins. Selections are made at our yearly trial of 1200 plants to select winners for both foliage and flowers. While the straight species of P. longifolia was susceptible to mildew, we found a subspecies from the Cevennes in Southern France that was mildew-free. It also proved to be a good doer in parts of the American south where other Pulmonaria had failed. This too, provided a rich source of genetics and was bred into the latest generations. It should be noted that even mildew-prone species like P. mollis can be hybridized, maintaining much of its characteristics, yet be mildew-resistant.

The variation in Pulmonaria foliage is remarkable; Background colors may vary from apple-green through olive to a black-emerald. Brilliant silver spotting may run from lightly dusted to solid silver (P. 'Excalibur'). Foliage shape is another variable. Leaves can be lanceolate (spear-shaped) like P. 'Trevi Fountain' to oval as in P. angustifolia 'Azurea'. The latter plant is one of the dwarves of the genus, rarely reaching 8" high. Plants like P. longifolia ssp. cevennensis can top out at 28" tall! One characteristic that we have added to our line is that of ruffled edges. This is seen in P. 'Berries and Cream' and P. 'Silver Streamers'. Retailers often had a problem with lungworts after they bloomed. The plants would collapse into a heap of lax flower stalks before the new foliar growth would emerge. The plant would be unsalable during this period. With our breeding and selection of short petioled leaves and short stemmed flowers, this is no longer a problem. The newest hybrids bring the best of all worlds together with strong, well-marked, mildew-free foliage and short bloom stalks with vivid flower colors.

Pests, Culture, and Propagation

Pulmonaria are one of the few plants in the garden which suffer from virtually no pests. Cutworms may occasionally attack and aphids may be troublesome in the greenhouse but are rarely a problem outside. Viruses are rarely seen and we've yet to see leaf-nematodes cause trouble (though we have seen them on Brunnera). Mildew is a definite concern for the older forms of Pulmonaria and one should try to keep these plants in an open, airy position with no night time or overhead watering. It needs to be understood that mildew is often the result of stress to a plant, so an even hand in watering is the way to grow the best plant.

Mammal pests are not much of a problem either, deer and rabbits eschew eating the leaves due to the sharp hairs on the surface. Woodchucks will only eat them if they are hungry. Unfortunately- they're always hungry!

If you are growing Pulmonaria in a pot, make sure a large cool root run is possible. They suffer from drought yet appear to recover when temps are returned to cooler levels. A standard soilless mix of 25% peat, 35% bark, and 40% aggregate like perlite or pumice works well.

Preferences of pH run a fairly wide range from 5.0(acid) to 8.5(alkaline). Chlorosis may occur on a plant growing in the alkaline range. This is especially visible in P. angustifolia. Magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) at 1Tb. per gallon is recommended as a general tonic as there is often a shortage of both Mg and Sulfur at that level.

Fertilizing rates of a balance 14-14-14 at 50-75 ppm is adequate as a liquid feed. ½ strength fertilizer is recommended for homeowners. Slow release fertilizer may be used with caution. Use only as recommended by the manufacturer for perennials (much lower than annuals.)

Propagation of Pulmonaria is quite easy. Divisions can be made in late spring and root cuttings can be made over the winter months. Seed is variable in outcome, but is very large and easy to germinate. The most difficult part is in the collection of fresh seed. Looking into the calyx after the flower has dropped off; you will see the single seed developing. Over the next few weeks the seed will change from white to black and will detach with the slightest breeze and disappear unless you construct a collection facility of some sort. Most gardeners let nature take its course and find many delightful seedlings about the garden. Bumble bees and honeybees are rabid pollinators which we have watched flitting from one specie to the other. This opens the possibilities of some wonderful natural crosses. We have set up many crosses in the greenhouse between Pulmonaria vallarsae, P. saccharata, P. longifolia, P. angustifolia, and P. rubra. Most bloom simultaneously, however we have had to take pollen of the early birds on black pipe-cleaners and store them in film cans in my freezer until others bloom. Crosses need to be made several times during the day for best fertilization. Remember that unless you are very lucky, it takes hundreds or thousands of seedlings and years of testing to come up with an introducible plant. Tissue culture is the propagation technique that allows thousands of identical plants to be produced from a single crown. This is how all modern hybrids are multiplied.

• P. 'Baby Blue'
• P. 'Berries and Cream'
• P. 'Bubble Gum' (also sold as 'Sunset')
• P. 'Dark Vader'
• P. 'Emerald Isles'
• P. 'Excalibur'
• P. 'High Contrast'
• P. 'Irish Spring'
• P. 'May Bouquet'
• P. 'Moonshine'
• P. 'Mountain Magic' (sold as 'Gaelic Magic')
• P. 'Northern Lights'
• P. 'Raspberry Ice'
• P. 'Raspberry Splash'
• P. 'Silver Bouquet'
• P. 'Silver Shimmers'
• P. 'Silver Streamers'
• P. 'Trevi Fountain'
• P. 'Victorian Brooch'

• P. 'Baby Blue' - Another unique form with bright silvering intensifying toward the tips and profuse sky-blue flowers of good size. The baby-blue flowers fade to pink.
• P. 'Berries and Cream' - The first of our crosses with P. rubra. Unique raspberry flower color and most remarkable light ruffling along the edge in a compact form.
• P. 'David Ward' - from Beth Chatto's nursery in England comes this first variegated form named after her propagator, David Ward. Mint-green leaves bordered in white support salmon pink blooms in earliest spring. Occasional all-green or all-white leaves pop-up, but this plant is a certified knock-out
• P. 'Dark Vader' - Many purple-blue flowers over silver splotched, dark foliage.
• P. 'Emerald Isles' - TN Introduction. Dark green "islands" float in an emerald sea on the leaves. Pink to blue flowers.
• P. 'Excalibur' - Striking silver leaves edged in emerald green. Large flowers range from pink to blue. Outstanding vigor and mildew resistance. Patented form.
• P. 'High Contrast' - TN introduction. Very contrasty foliage with well developed blue to violet flowers.
• P. 'Little Star' - ( P. longifolia 'Bertram Anderson' x P. angustifolia) This cross yielded a plant with fuzzy, lance-shaped leaves, unusual silver spotting and magnificent, large cobalt blue blooms in profusion. Ours bloomed for several months.
• P. 'Irish Spring' - TN introduction. Mint green foliage with violet-blue flowers.
• P. longifolia var. cevennensis - Some species can't be improved. Fabulous lance shaped leaves, up to 28" long are produced in profusion. Leaves are well silvered and the blooms are more like P. saccharata than P. longifolia.
• P. 'May Bouquet' - TN introduction. Very large, ruffled flowers of violet to pink over nice contrasty foliage.
• P. 'Milky Way' - Our largest cultivar, with well spotted, lance-shaped leaves and wine-colored blooms.
• P. 'Moonshine' - TN introduction. Very silvered leave with very short petioles. Almost makes a rosette. Pale pale blue flowers.
• P. 'Mountain Magic' (Gaelic Magic') - TN introduction. Strong growth habit. Large, well-spotted leaves and huge flowers of violet to blue.
• P. 'Northern Lights' - TN introduction. Strong growth habit. Large, well-silvered leaves and large flowers of violet to blue.
• P. 'Raspberry Ice' - TN introduction. Spotted variegated foliage. Striped! raspberry-pink flowers. 13" tall.
• P. 'Raspberry Splash' - TN introduction. Flowers are a raspberry then pink and pointed, long, silver-splotched leaves. 13" tall.
• P. 'Regal Ruffles' - A breakthrough on several fronts: first, it has ruffled flowers; and second, the clasping vestigial leaves of the stalk form a halo around the flower cluster. This plant is compact and well silvered.
• P. 'Spilled Milk' - Compact foliage is 'splashed' with silvery milk. Mildew resistant, robust. Flowers are borne tightly on compact stalks. Blue flowers fade to pink.
• P. 'Silver Bouquet' - A 2009 introduction with superior form Our first new Pulmonaria introduction in years - why? It has it all - cevennensis breeding for mildew resistance, heat and humidity tolerance and an upright habit with large coral pink to violet flowers that "look at you." Features an excellent shelf life with a very short delay from flower to foliage form. Spectacular silver foliage for year round sales makes this a winner!
• P. 'Silver Shimmers' - Brilliant, pure silver lance-shaped leaves, more ruffled than others.
• P. 'Silver Streamers' - Brilliant, pure silver lance-shaped leaves, uniquely stippled and ruffled along the entire border puts this Pulmonaria in a class by itself.
• P. 'Trevi Fountain' - TN introduction. Well spotted foliage with deep blue flowers. Strong constitution.
• P. 'Victorian Brooch' - TN introduction. Roundish leaves are silver splattered with nice upright magenta then coral with ruby - red calyces. Choice. 14" tall.

• P. angustifolia 'Alba' - dwarf, white-flowered form
• P. angustifolia 'Azurea' - dwarf, deep blue flowered form
• P. angustifolia 'Beth's Pink' - Beth Chatto's pink selection. Dwarf.
• P. angustifolia 'Blauesmeer' - "Blue Sea". Dark blue flowers over 12" long leaves that are splashed with small silver spots.
• P. 'Alan Leslie' - Dark blue flowers over elliptical foliage that is spotted silvery white. 12" tall
• P. 'Apple Frost' - TN introduction. Rose-colored flowers and silver coated medium green leaves. 12" tall.
• P. 'Baby Blue' - TN introduction. unique form with bright silvering intensifying toward the tips and profuse sky-blue flowers of good size. The baby-blue flowers fade to pink.
• P. 'Berries and Cream' - TN introduction. Silvery wavy leaves with raspberry colored flowers. Great plants. 12" tall.
• P. 'Bertram Anderson' - Long narrow spotted leaves with dark blue flowers. 12" tall.
• P. 'Blaues Meer' - Lance shaped green leaves with intense blue flowers and growing 10" tall.
• P. 'Blue Ensign' - Light solid green foliage with bright blue flowers that are good sized.
• P. 'Boafar Red' - Lightly spotted green leaves and purple red flowers. 12" tall.
• P. 'British Sterling' - Leaves are almost all silvery white with green margins Flowers are pink turning to blue. 10" tall.
• P. 'Cambridge Blue' - Silvery white spots on green leaves and light blue flowers. 15" tall.
• P. 'Coral Springs' - TN introduction. Attractive spotted long leaves with light coral pink flowers. Flower buds are a purple-pink and as the flowers open turn a good shade of pink. 16" tall.
• P. 'Cotton Cool' - Different looking with narrow silver leaves with silver spots. Nice looking clump that stands out from most Pulmonaria. Smaller growing that most.
• P. 'Dark Vader' - TN introduction. Many purple-blue flowers over silver splotched, dark foliage.
• P. rubra 'David Ward' - Mint green with wide variegated silver-white edges and coral pink colored flowers. When grown well a real stand out in the landscape. 12" tall. This is a sport from P. rubra 'Red Start'.
• P. 'DeVroomen's Pride' - Near white leaves with a green edge and blue flowers fading to pink. 14" tall.
• P. 'Dora Bielefeld' - good, pink flowered form of P. rubra. Unspotted leaves. Pulmonaria 'Emerald Isles' - TN Introduction. Dark green "islands" float in an emerald sea on the leaves. Pink to blue flowers.
• P. 'Excalibur' - TN introduction. Rose to burgundy colored flowers and very silvery white leaves and dark green edges. 12" tall.
• P. 'Fiona' - Green leaves and nice pink flowers. 13" tall.
• P. 'Fruhlingshimmel' - "Spring heaven" German intro.
• P. 'Golden Haze' - Thin leaves with very thin silver edges and light silver splotches.
• P. 'High Contrast' - TN introduction. Very contrasty foliage with well developed blue to violet flowers. Pulmonaria 'Irish Spring' - TN introduction. Mint green foliage with violet-blue flowers.
• P. 'Janet Fisk' - Leaves have a white marbling effect not as much as 'British Sterling'. Pink flowers turning blue. The green background color is apple green. 12".
• P. 'Johnson's Blue' - Dark blue flowered longifolia hybrid.
• P. 'Leopard' - Silver splashed dark green leaves and blue flowers on short stems. Leaves grow 16" tall.
• P. 'Lewis Palmer' - Very large blue - purple flowers and white spotted leaves too. 15" tall.
• P. 'Little Star' - TN introduction. Large bright azure blue flowers very early. Long darker green leaves with just a few small spots. We like this one very much for its bright blue flowers, a different looking plant from many of the others. Not as attractive in summer as those with more pronounced spotting, but what it lacks in spots it makes up in flower color and appearance. 10 - 12" tall.
• P. longifolia ssp. cevennensis - Very long leaves up to 26" and spotted, blue flowers. 24" . A choice specimen. A choice specimen in my estimation.
• P. longifolia 'Dordogne' - Lance shaped leavesa re larger than the species with much spotting of silver. Blue flowers.
• P. longifolia 'Little Blue' - TN introduction. Lots of small blue flowers in spring on tall long spotted leaves. 12" tall.
• P. 'Majesty' - This is truly an outstanding new introduction with all silver gray leaves with just a touch of a green margin. Blue pink flowers. Recommended.
• P. 'Mary Mottram' - Silver-white leaves with green edges. Plants grow 12" tall.
• P. 'May Bouquet' - TN introduction. Very large flowers of violet to pink over nice contrasty foliage.
• P. 'Margery Fish' - Striking silver variegation with pink flowers turning blue. 12" tall.
• P. 'Mawson's Blue' - Dwarf, blue flowered form. Possible selection of P. angustifolia.
• P. 'Milky Way' - TN introduction. Long well-spotted leaves, good blue flowers. Does well in the American south according to Tony Avent.
• P. 'Moonshine' - TN introduction. Very silvered leaves with very short petioles. Almost makes a rosette. Pale pale blue flowers.
• P. 'Mountain Magic' (Gaelic Magic') - TN introduction. Strong growth habit. Large, well-spotted leaves and huge flowers of violet to blue.
• P. 'Munstead Blue' - Deep blue flowered British cultivar.
• P. mollis 'Samobor' - Large green leaves with purplish - pink flowers. 24".
• P. 'Mrs. Kittle' - Long arching leaves are dark green with silver marbling and rose to pink flowers that turn light lavender. 14" tall.
• P. 'Mrs. Moon' - Mildews but nice silvery spotted leaves. Magenta buds with flowers turning blue. 12" tall One of the older types around and includes many diffrent plants, those sold include the real thing and any seedlings that might look the same - so this name is a catch all for a number of different plants that look alike. Pulmonaria 'Northern Lights' - TN introduction. Strong growth habit. Large, well-silvered leaves and large flowers of violet to blue.
• P. officinalis var. immaculata - Unspotted form of the species.
• P. officinalis 'Alba' - Spotted roundish leaves and white flowers. 12" tall.
• P. 'Opal' - White flowers over silver blotched and spotted leaves.
• P. 'Paul Aden' - Heavily spotted plants make great clumps of silver green in semi shade. Flowers are Pink then blue. syn. Pulmonaria 'DeVroomen's Pride'
• P. 'Pierre's Pure Pink' - Nicely spotted light green leaves and light pure pink flowers that do not change color. 12" tall.
• P. 'Polar Splash' - TN introduction. Good sized silver white spots on some what rounded dark green leaves.
• P. 'Pink Dawn' - rosy - pink flowers and dark green leaves. 12" tall.
• P. 'Purple Haze' - TN introduction, spotted leaves, Light violet flowers
• P. 'Raspberry Ice' - TN introduction. Spotted variegated foliage
• P. 'Raspberry Splash' - TN introduction. Flowers are a raspberry then pink and pointed silver splotched leaves. 13" tall.
• P. 'Regal Ruffles' - TN introduction. Ruffled edges and pink turning to blue flowers. 12" tall.
• P. 'Reginald Kaye' - good form, with excellent blue to violet flowers.
• P. 'Roy Davidson - Leaves are green and long - spotted evenly with silver. Strong grower with light blue flowers. 15"
• P. rubra 'Albocorollata' - White flowering form. Green leaves with no spots.
• P. rubra 'Barfield Pink' - Deep green leaves and pink flowers. 12" tall.
• P. rubra 'Bowle's Red' - From E.A. Bowles, English plantsman. Dark coral flowers. Pulmonaria rubra 'David Ward' - Mint green with wide variegated white edges and coral colored flowers. when grown weel a real stand out in the landscape. 12" tall.
• P. rubra 'Redstart' - Medium green with coral red flowers. A good grower. 24" tall.
• P. saccharata 'Argentea' - silvery frosted leaves and pink flowers turning blue. 14" tall.
• P. 'Silverado' - Dutch introduction with nearly all-silvered leaves
• P. 'Silver Lance' - TN introduction. Spotted long leaved form with raspberry-pink flowers. Superceded by Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Splash'.
• P. 'Silver Streamer's' - TN introduction. Brilliant, pure silver lance-shaped leaves, uniquely stippled and ruffled along the entire border puts this Pulmonaria in a class by itself.
• P. 'Sissinghurst White' - Spotted wide leaves. Plants with white flower early in the spring. 12" tall.
• P. 'Smoky Blue' - Many spots over dark green back ground, flowers are soft blue.
• P. 'Snowy Owl' - Pink and then blue flowers over intensely white spotted leaves. 12" tall.
• P. 'Spilled Milk' - TN introduction. Compact growing with wide heavily silvered leaves. Flowers first a rose pink turning to pink. 9" tall
• P. 'Trevi Fountain' - TN introduction. Well spotted foliage with deep blue flowers. Strong constitution.
• P. 'Victorian Brooch' - TN introduction. Roundish leaves are silver splattered with nice upright magenta then coral with ruby - red calyces. Choice. 14" tall.
• P. 'White Wings' - Large silver spotted leaves and pure white flowers, long blooming. 12" tall.