Cultivating Pulmonaria: A Step-by-Step Guide
Growing and Caring for Lungworts in Shaded Gardens
Lungworts, or Pulmonaria, are a delightful addition to shaded gardens, offering shade tolerance, attractive leaves, and bee-friendly flowers. Originally native to Europe and Asia, these plants were introduced to Britain in the 16th century, and we also have a native species, Pulmonaria longifolia.
Identification
Lungworts are easily recognisable by their distinctive foliage and flowers. Their leaves often feature silver or light green speckles or patches, resembling the mottled appearance of lungs, hence the name. Flowers usually bloom in early spring, changing colour as they mature, such as in Pulmonaria 'Opal', whose flowers open pale pink and mature to a clear blue or almost white.
Care
Lungworts thrive in moist, well-drained soil in partial to full shade. Regular watering is essential, especially during dry spells, to ensure blooms. After flowering, the blooms die back by mid-summer, but the foliage remains attractive well into fall. If plants appear tired in mid-summer, cutting back the foliage encourages fresh growth.
Lungworts can be divided every four to five years to maintain healthy growth. This process, demonstrated by Carol Klein in a video, helps control spread and propagate more plants. It's important to choose plants with no signs of pests or disease before planting.
Varieties to Grow
There are several species of lungwort available, such as Pulmonaria officinalis, Pulmonaria angustifolia and Pulmonaria saccarata. Popular cultivars include Pulmonaria 'Dora Bielefeld', 'Glacier', 'Pulmonaria rubra', 'Pulmonaria saccharata', 'Red Freckles', and 'Ocupol'.
Resilience and Companion Planting
Lungworts are known for their slug and mildew resistance, making them a resilient choice for shaded gardens. They pair well with other shade plants such as hostas, creating an attractive understory.
By selecting species with desired flower colour and leaf pattern and following these care guidelines, lungworts can be a beautiful, low-maintenance addition to shade gardens. These plants can be found in garden centres and nurseries, with a greater choice from independent nurseries.
Lungworts, a desirable asset for home-and-garden enthusiasts who appreciate home-and-garden diversity, can also be beneficial to home-and-garden accompaniments such as hostas, thus enhancing the home-and-garden lifestyle by creatively decorating the shaded garden areas.
Gardening enthusiasts looking to expand their home-and-garden collection may consider cultivating a variety of lungworts, such as Pulmonaria 'Dora Bielefeld', 'Glacier', 'Pulmonaria rubra', 'Pulmonaria saccharata', 'Red Freckles', and 'Ocupol', which not only offer appealing foliage and flowers but also exhibit slug and mildew resistance.
