Pulmonaria officinalis

RHS Plant Profile
common lungwort

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common lungwort visionspictures.com
common lungwort visionspictures.com

Other common names

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

Synonyms

Pulmonaria officinalis subsp. maculosa

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A semi-evergreen perennial to 30cm tall, with broad leaves spotted freely with greenish-white, and clusters of flowers opening pink and soon changing to blue, 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