Introducing...
Pulmonaria
Common name: Lungwort
With their small blue, pink or white spring flowers and attractive silver-speckled leaves, these compact, easy-to-grow perennials are cottage garden favourites. Ideal in partial shade as ground cover or edging plants, they are a good alternative to hostas if slugs are a problem.
Looks
Sprays of small bell-like white, pink or blue flowers appear in spring. The oval leaves are often mottled with silver or sometimes entirely silver, providing attractive ground cover until they die down in late autumn.
Likes
Pulmonarias tolerate most soils, as long as they don’t dry out excessively. They prefer light shade, although once established can tolerate more sun.
Dislikes
Very dry soil can cause leaves to wither, especially in full sun, and plants can suffer during prolonged periods of drought in summer.
Did you know?
The flowers can change colour as they mature, so you’ll often see pink and blue flowers simultaneously on the same plant. They also offer bees a useful source of nectar early in the year.
Growing guide
How to grow pulmonaria
All the information you’ll need to grow and care for pulmonaria can be found on the RHS Guide to perennials.
Pulmonarias we recommend
Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare'
lungwort 'Diana Clare'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign'
lungwort 'Blue Ensign'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Pulmonaria Opal ('Ocupol')
lungwort [Opal]
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare'
lungwort 'Diana Clare'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign'
lungwort 'Blue Ensign'
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Pulmonaria Opal ('Ocupol')
lungwort [Opal]
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- 0.1–0.5 metres
Useful advice
Ground cover plants
Perennial borders: choosing plants
Perennials: dividing
Perennials: planting
Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.