Perennial
Lungwort
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in February | Flowers in March | Flowers in April | |||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in September | Plant in October | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in May | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in February | Looks good in March | Looks good in April | Looks good in May | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September |
Overview
Bristly, white-spotted leaves form low clumps, and in late winter short stems bear clusters of flowers that open pink and age to blue, so both colours show at once. That two-tone habit explains the folk names. Lungworts are a favourite of the hairy-footed flower bee, one of the first solitary bees on the wing. 'Sissinghurst White' has clean white flowers, 'Blue Ensign' is deep blue with plain leaves, and 'Trevi Fountain' is cobalt with heavily silvered foliage.
Where to grow lungwort
Plant under deciduous shrubs, in woodland edges or on a shady bank where the soil stays damp. They tolerate clay and chalk. In hot, dry positions the leaves wilt and mildew quickly. Plant some close to a back door or path, where you will actually see the February flowers and the bees working them on mild days.
Planting
Plant in spring or autumn, 30–40 cm apart, adding leaf mould or compost. Group several together for drifts of early colour under taller shrubs.
Care through the year
Spring
Enjoy the flowers; mulch with leaf mould afterwards.
Summer
Water in dry weather to keep foliage fresh.
Autumn
Divide crowded clumps.
Winter
Clear away old leaves to reveal the emerging flower buds.
Pruning
Once flowering finishes, cut flower stems and old leaves to the base. A neat mound of new, crisply spotted foliage replaces them within weeks and is less prone to mildew.
Propagation
Divide clumps after flowering or in autumn, every few years. Self-sown seedlings appear but vary in leaf pattern and colour; named varieties need dividing.
Common problems
Powdery mildew whitens leaves in dry summers; cutting back and watering is the fix. Slugs eat young leaves. Wilting in sun is a sign the spot is too dry.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect lungwort:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, May, September and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.