Van Bourgondien

Garden Guide Brunnera

This shade‐loving perennial ground cover blooms in early spring as its leaves emerge. The sky‐blue blooms appear in a ground‐hugging spray and resemble forget‐me‐nots. After bloom, the roughly textured, dark‐green leaves grow larger, providing bold texture in the shade garden. Notable cultivars include 'Variegata,' with cream‐edged leaves, and 'Langtrees,' with silver‐spotted leaves.

Brunnera belongs to the borage family. The fine, prickly hairs on the underside of its leaves and stems are a mild skin irritant, so wear gloves while handling this plant.

Remove previous year's foliage in early spring. Deadhead after bloom. Wear gloves to avoid skin irritation. Divide plants every 3 to 5 years in spring after bloom, or in early fall.

Maintain soil moisture all season. In spring, apply a balanced, all‐purpose fertilizer, following label directions. In northern regions, brunnera can tolerate dry soil and some sun. Moist soil is necessary for success in the South. Under the right conditions, plants will self‐sow.

Combine with other shade‐loving perennials such as Lady's Mantle Astilbe, Alum Root, and ferns.

Q: A couple of years ago I purchased one of your Brunnera ‘Hadspen Cream’ plants, and it is growing beautifully – but it’s very large! Can I separate it? If so, how and when is the best time?

A: Yes you can separate it, like any other perennial you can do that any time after the plant is completely dormant, which in most cases is early/late November until the plant starts sprouting again, very early in spring. My favorite time to do this is in February/March when you can see the very first new growth on the plant. The advantage to do it at that time is that you can then see that all parts of the separated plant will have some sprouts and you can also monitor the plant after replanting to make sure it catches on and continues to produce new spring growth. If you see problems in the development of the plant you can then make adjustments such as applying soil additives, water or re‐position the plant in another spot where it may grow better.