Pulmonaria rubra
We have several pulmonarias around the garden but P. rubra is always the first to flower. As with so many of the lovely winter flowers you really have to observe them at close quarters to see their beauty. Nothing fazes it, and it looks particularly lovely with frosted leaves or poking through snow.
It is one of the borage family and has typically hairy leaves. It has small funnel-shaped flowers which appear in various shade of pinks through to red, and is noted for its particularly long flowering season. We have it nestled in areas of the winter walk at the front of the bed and it grows beautifully with Helleborus × hybridus Harvington yellow speckled, whose pink-speckled centre partners the pink of the pulmonarias.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Lungwort
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Height & spread
- Up to 40cm (16in) x 90cm (36in)
- Form
- Evergreen perennial
- Soil
- Humus-rich, moist but not waterlogged
- Aspect
- Full or partial shade
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Pulmonaria
Pulmonaria comes from the Latin 'pulmo', the lung. The plant was considered to be an effective remedy for diseases of the lung because the spotted leaves were supposed to resemble diseased lungs.
This is a genus of about 14 species, from Europe and Asia, of deciduous or evergreen, low-growing perennials with spreading rhizomes. Habitats range from mountains and sub-alpine woodland to the banks of streams and the soil can be acid or alkaline.
Pulmonarias are grown for their early flowers and attractively spotted leaves. They are good ground cover for a shady area and can be grown in woodland, the front of a shrub border or in a wild garden. They are attractive to bees.
The leaves are hairy and often spotted with white or silver. The leaves that develop after flowering have the best markings. Flowers can be pink, red, violet, purple, blue or white. They are funnel-shaped, 5-10mm (0.25 – 0.5in) across with 5 petals.
Pulmonaria rubra
This species, found in south east Europe, is a clump-forming evergreen perennial with unspotted, bright green matt leaves up to 60cm (24in) long.
The flowers are tubular, brick-red to salmon-red and borne over a long period from late winter to early spring.
'Redstart' has coral-red flowers and is often the first pulmonaria to flower in midwinter. 'Barfield Pink' has pink and white striped flowers and grows up to a height of 30cm (12in).
P. r. var. albocorollata syn. alba has white flowers and 'David Ward' has white-variegated, sage-green leaves with cream margins and coral-red flowers. Both reach a height of 30cm (12in).
'Bowles's Red', developed by Edward Bowles, has coral-red flowers and leaves faintly spotted pale green. It grows to 30cm (12in) and is similar to 'Redstart'.
Cultivation
- Grow in humus-rich, fertile, moist but not waterlogged soil in full or partial shade.
- Remove old leaves after flowering and divide every 3 – 5 years.
- Powdery mildew may be a problem in dry conditions and slugs and snails may damage new growth.
Propagation
- Sow seed in containers outdoors as soon as ripe. However, plants raised from seed of species in gardens often do not come true.
- Divide plants in autumn or after flowering or take root cuttings in mid-winter.
AGM
The RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee awarded Pulmonaria rubra an Award of Garden Merit and described it as a:
'Clump-forming herbaceous perennial to 40cm, with light green, unspotted leaves and short leafy stems bearing clusters of coral-red flowers.'