Perennial
Siberian bugloss
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in April | Flowers in May | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in September | Plant in October | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in June | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in April | Looks good in May | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September |
Overview
In April and May, airy stems of tiny sky-blue flowers rise above clumps of heart-shaped leaves. Unlike true forget-me-nots, brunnera is a long-lived perennial that stays where you put it. The plain green species is tough and fine for wilder spots, but the silver-netted 'Jack Frost' and the almost metallic 'Looking Glass' turn it into a foliage plant worth growing for months. 'Hadspen Cream' has creamy leaf margins. The bold leaves are a useful contrast to ferns and grasses long after the flowers have finished, and the clumps knit together into weed-suppressing ground cover.
Where to grow siberian bugloss
Dappled or full shade beneath deciduous trees, along a north-facing wall, or beside hostas and ferns all suit it. Soil should stay moist; clay enriched with leaf mould is ideal. Silver and variegated forms scorch in strong sun.
Planting
Plant in spring or autumn, 40–45 cm apart, into ground improved with compost or leaf mould. Water in well and through the first summer.
Care through the year
Spring
Mulch with leaf mould and protect new leaves from slugs.
Summer
Water during dry spells to stop leaves browning at the edges.
Autumn
Clear the foliage as it dies back.
Winter
Fully hardy; nothing to do.
Pruning
Cut faded flower stems off at the base in early summer. If leaves look tired by midsummer, shear the clump back and water; a fresh flush follows.
Propagation
Divide clumps in spring. Named silver forms come true only from division or root cuttings taken in winter, as seedlings revert to plain green leaves.
Common problems
Slugs and snails damage young foliage; use night-time patrols or wool pellets. Leaf scorch comes from sun or drought. Remove any plain green shoots on variegated plants.
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, June, September and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.