Lungwort

Azurea does honor to its name, bringing a heavenly blue color to spring days that gradually changes into purple tones. It is a lungwort cultivar that occurs naturally in moist mountain meadows and in bright forests. In the garden, it requires similar conditions, i.e., a partially shaded to shady location with well-draining, humus-rich, and constantly slightly moist soil. It grows to a height of around 20 to 30 centimeters and forms neat clumps that spread slightly over time. Its lanceolate leaves are purely green, lacking the mottling of common lungworts, which can be an advantage for calmer compositions in the undergrowth of woody plants. This long-lived perennial is an ideal choice for beginners because it does not suffer from diseases or pests and excellently handles even severe frosts. Although it is not suitable for cutting into a vase or for drying, it will do its job right in the garden bed, where it attracts beneficial insects. After the spring bloom, the plant partially dies back to create new foliage for the rest of the season. Because the summer foliage is not usually as dense, we recommend planting Azurea in small groups or mixing it with small spring bulbs and grasses, which will ensure a season-long effect.

Pulmonaria officinalis, better known as common lungwort, is a rewarding perennial that has held its place in gardens for centuries, not only for its beauty but also for its historical use in medicine. The Latin name refers to its spotted leaves, which reminded medieval herbalists of human lungs. Today, we appreciate it primarily as a reliable plant for shady and semi-shady areas where other species do not thrive well. It blooms in March and April with a flood of tiny flowers, and you can often observe pink, purple, and blue flowers simultaneously on a single plant. This play of colors beautifully contrasts with the fresh green leaves. Lungwort loves humus-rich, loamy soil with plenty of moisture, but once established, it is very hardy. It is perfectly suited for natural and woodland gardens as an underplanting for deciduous trees. Although it is not very suitable for cutting into a vase, it will do a tremendous service in the flowerbed by attracting the first hungry pollinators early in the spring. The plant spreads easily and can also self-seed, gradually filling empty spaces in the beds.

Shade-loving perennials do not have to be just green and inconspicuous, which lungwort 'Blue Ensign' proves with its unmissable flowers. In nature, these plants inhabit moist groves and floodplain forests, making them a perfect choice for underplanting mature trees or for the northern sides of houses, where other perennials do not do too well. They require humus-rich, loamy soil that does not completely dry out, and in return, they reward you with great vitality. The seedlings are fully frost-resistant down to -30 °C, so they will easily survive even harsh winters and reliably sprout back beautifully in the spring. The 'Blue Ensign' cultivar stands out among others with probably the darkest and purest shade of blue, which, unlike other lungworts, does not change to pink after opening. Its leaves are solid dark green without spotting, giving the plant an elegant look even after blooming. Although it is not suitable for cutting into a vase or for drying, it will make a great show in the bed combined with spring bulbs or hellebores. Furthermore, it is a plant well-known in folk medicine, and its young leaves are edible.