When do I cut back pulmonaria?

After flowering in late April or May — cut the whole plant down to 5 cm above the ground. Three reasons: (1) tidies the spent flowers; (2) triggers a fresh flush of clean spotted foliage for summer display; (3) removes the older leaves that will inevitably develop powdery mildew. Water deeply after the cut. Late summer mildew: if the regrowth gets mildewed, cut again — pulmonaria recovers from multiple hard cuts in a season.

Why do pulmonaria flowers change colour from pink to blue?

Natural pH change in the petal anthocyanins as the flower ages. Newly-opened flowers are typically pink (more acidic petal sap); older flowers turn blue (more alkaline as sap matures). Both colours often appear on the same stem at different stages — the classic two-tone effect. Bee preference: bees visit the younger pink flowers (where nectar is) and ignore the older blue ones (effectively visual signalling for pollinators).

What's the best pulmonaria for the UK?

For white-themed gardens: Sissinghurst White — classic, vigorous, heavily silver-spotted leaves, pure white flowers. For mildew-resistance: Trevi Fountain — cobalt blue flowers, vigorous, much less prone to mildew than older cultivars. For silver foliage: Diana Clare — almost entirely silver leaves, dramatic. For pure blue: Blue Ensign — no pink phase, deep blue throughout. For a first pulmonaria, Trevi Fountain for reliability.

Why are my pulmonaria leaves covered in white powder?

Powdery mildew — the main UK pulmonaria disease. Three causes: drought stress, full sun, age of foliage. Treatment: cut the whole plant down to 5 cm — fresh regrowth is usually mildew-free. Prevention going forward: (1) move to a shadier position if currently too sunny; (2) mulch annually with leaf-mould and water deeply in dry spells; (3) replace with mildew-resistant cultivars (Trevi Fountain, Raspberry Splash, Excalibur) if persistent.

Will pulmonaria grow in deep shade?

Yes — one of the few flowering perennials that genuinely flourishes in deep shade. Pulmonaria thrives in north-facing borders, under deciduous trees, alongside shaded paths. Best display under deciduous trees where the plant gets spring sunlight before the canopy closes. In full shade: pulmonaria still flowers well; the silver leaf-spots are particularly striking against dark shade backgrounds.

Is pulmonaria good for wildlife?

Outstanding for early-emerging bumblebees. Pulmonaria is one of the first UK garden plants to flower (February–April) — exactly when queen bumblebees emerge from hibernation and desperately need nectar to start new colonies. A pulmonaria patch in late February attracts buff-tailed bumblebee queens, garden bumblebee queens, and a few honeybees on warmer days. The early nectar is critical for bumblebee colony survival; pulmonaria earns its garden place for this alone.

Pulmonaria

Pulmonaria officinalis

Planta la pulmonaria en otoño o primavera, en sombra parcial o total, en un suelo que retenga bien la humedad; se trata de una planta perenne resistente que se cultiva por sus características hojas ovaladas con manchas plateadas y sus pequeñas flores acampanadas, que se abren de color rosa y se vuelven azules con el paso del tiempo (a veces se pueden ver ambos colores en el mismo tallo). La pulmonaria es resistente (RHS H6–H7) y una de las plantas perennes del Reino Unido que florecen más temprano, desde finales de febrero hasta abril, cuando casi nada más ha despertado aún. Las flores constituyen una importante fuente temprana de néctar para las abejorros reinas que están emergiendo. Poda toda la planta hasta dejarla a 5 cm tras la floración para obtener un nuevo brote de follaje limpio; las hojas viejas del verano se enmohecen y se estropean. La variedad «Sissinghurst White» (flores de color blanco puro y hojas con abundantes manchas plateadas) es un clásico de los jardines del Reino Unido. Se propaga suavemente mediante rizomas subterráneos; divídela cada 3–4 años.

View full growing guide →