Pulmonaria officinalis

RHS Plant Profile

common lungwort

Other common names

Adam and Eve, Bedlam cowslip, beggar's basket, bugloss cowslip, Jerusalem cowslip, Jerusalem sage, lady's cowslip, lady's milk, Mary's honeysuckle, Mary's tears, sage of Bethlehem, soldiers and sailors, spotted dog, Virgin Mary's honeysuckle

Synonyms

Pulmonaria officinalis subsp. maculosa

Herbaceous Perennial

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A semi-evergreen perennial to 30cm tall, with broad leaves spotted freely with greenish-white. Clusters of flowers opening pink and changing rapidly to blue, appear in spring

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade

Aspect: North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Boraginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Pulmonaria can be herbaceous or semi-evergreen rhizomatous perennials with terminal clusters of funnel-shaped flowers in late winter or early spring, and often strikingly patterned leaves developing in summer
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Europe

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, fertile, moist but not waterlogged soil in full or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by division after flowering or in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
City and courtyard gardens
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds
Ground cover

Pruning

Remove old leaves after flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to Powdery mildews in dry conditions