Brunnera Cultivars Offer Phenomenal Foliage and Delightful Flowers

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Plant- trial Results Kick off the season with this shady star The best brunnera cultivars offer phenomenal foliage and delightful flowers

By Richard Hawke

ood ol’ brunnera, with its cheery forget-me-not–like  flowers, is experiencing a renaissance, of sorts— The expert Gcaptivating gardeners in recent years with a bevy of new varieties that have incredibly colorful foliage. I hon- estly could be happy with the month or two of pretty blue flowers in spring and just let the standard green foliage fade into the background for the rest of summer. As it turns out, though, I can have my cake and eat it, too, due to some variegated selections that look fabulous after the flowers pass. At a glance You’ll find brunneras (Brunnera macrophylla and cvs., What: Brunnera is a USDA Hardiness Zones 3–7) at the nursery under a lot of Richard Hawke slowly spreading, rhi- has been the plant- different names, including Siberian bugloss, heartleaf brun- zomatous perennial, evaluation manager native to woodland nera, and false forget-me-not—the latter of which I prefer as at the Chicago areas. It’s prized for it’s a nod to the true forget-me-not (Myosotis spp. and cvs., Botanic Garden (CBG) its sprays of spring Zones 4–9), which brunnera’s flowers resemble. Beginning in in Glencoe, Illinois, for flowers and its heart- early spring, sprays of dainty flowers unfurl above the brun- 16 years. Before that, shaped leaves. Short he spent 13 years as in stature, this plant nera plants for a month or more. The mostly azure blooms is often used in the coordinator and are an essential sign of spring for me, possessing just the right masses or as a billowy chief plant evaluator ground cover. amount of whimsy to shake off the late-winter blues. for the same program. Brunnera’s bold, heart-shaped leaves, reaching up to In 2008, the CBG’s Season: Flowers appear in early to mid- 6 inches across, are somewhat reminiscent of hosta (Hosta plant-evaluation pro- spring and can last gram received the spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) foliage, but brunnera leaves have through early summer. Award for Program a rough, hairy texture. The leaves are often erroneously Foliage is evergreen in Excellence from the warm zones. described as “fuzzy,” which, I guess, is a creative way of American Public Gar- making the scratchy surface sound cuddly. Like hostas, dens Association. Size: 1 to 2 feet tall brunneras form tidy clumps that are perfect for massing. and 2 to 3 feet wide The long-stalked leaves reach their full size only after the Conditions: Partial to full shade; fer- flowers, which are borne on separate leafy stems, have faded. tile, moist, well- Variegation has updated this old-fashioned perennial, giving drained soil brunnera a fresh new attitude. I’m particularly taken with Propagation: Divide the silvery selections—there’s something both elegant and in fall; take root cut- exotic about their luminous leaves—but I’ve found quite a tings in winter. few favorites, thanks to this trial. Pests: Nematodes ‘Jack Frost’ can cause super- ficial damage.

50 Fine Gardening | APRIL 2015 T op performers that deserve some love

‘Hadspen Cream’

I was dumbstruck the first time that I encountered ‘Jack Frost’ (photo, p. 51). Never had I expected to see such a wholly silver brunnera (‘Jack Frost’ is a sport of ‘Langtrees’, which features lightly silver- spotted leaves). Sure, ‘Langtrees’ is handsome, but this new silvery concoction was something special. Its large shimmering leaves are etched with green ‘Diane’s Gold’ veins and borders, creating an intricate filigree pat- tern on the gleaming surface; you can almost see the planted en masse. Its light blue flowers are a smid- color the best; in too much sun, the leaves turn a blue flowers reflected in the fulgent leaves. I grow gen larger than most other cultivars and beautifully whitish gold, which looks more sickly than interest- ‘Jack Frost’ to great effect with Japanese painted complement its soft yellow leaves. ‘Hadspen Cream’ ing. ‘Diane’s Gold’ does not bloom as prolifically as fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum and cvs., Zones planted with yellow-flowered ‘Golden Sunrise’ most cultivars, but the combination of sky blue and ‘Betty Bowring’ 5–8) and ‘Obsidian’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Obsidian’, hellebore (Helleborus ‘Golden Sunrise’, Zones 4–9) golden chartreuse is dazzling, nonetheless. Zones 4–9), and what a gorgeous trio they make. provides a delightful color echo, while the timeless Next to all these variegated selections, it can be The foliage of ‘Dawson’s White’ (photo, bottom combination of their blue and yellow flowers can be easy to overlook the simplicity and beauty of the left) possesses a romantic charm unlike any other enjoyed for weeks. species: standard brunnera (photo, bottom). Its cultivar. Generous creamy white borders surround When not in bloom, green-leaved ‘Betty Bowring’ leaves are bold and handsome grayish green centers—a beautiful combination that (top left photo, p. 52) looks pretty much like the but solid green. With this plant, enlivens any shady place. The blue flowers really species. But in early spring, a profusion of white it’s all about the sprays of tiny pop against the white margins and are especially flowers marks the difference. As much as I love the blue flowers floating above stunning when the leaves are more white than blue of forget-me-nots and many brunneras, there is robust clumps, which, admit- green. ‘Dawson’s White’ is not a fan of drought con- something beguiling about ‘Betty Bowring’. The pure tedly, are understated without ditions, and as you can imagine, the delicate white white blossoms glow in the shade, creating a clean, the blossoms. Standard brun- areas easily burn in too much sun or heat. ‘Dawson’s refined display for many weeks. Like most cultivars, nera’s reliability and trouble- White’ masquerades as ‘Variegata’ in the garden- the plant remains tidy and attractive for the remain- free nature—it’s culturally ing world; we tested both, and they proved to be der of the summer. For a sophisticated look, pair not as temperamental as some the same plant. Reversions are common; in fact, we ‘Betty Bowring’ with a white-striped plant, such as variegated selections—appeal probably spent more time removing green leaves variegated Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans ‘Stair- to gardeners who want a from ‘Dawson’s White’ than from any other cultivar. way to Heaven’, Zones 3–8) or variegated fairy bells dependable ground cover in I didn’t mind because having this elegant plant in (Disporum sessile ‘Variegatum’, Zones 4–9). the shade garden. After its the garden is worth the small effort. I was impressed from the start by the vigor of flowers have faded, standard At a quick glance, ‘Hadspen Cream’ (photo, ‘Spring Yellow’, although its almost garish yellow brunnera is a great companion top right) might look an awful lot like ‘Dawson’s leaf color didn’t excite me. I then discovered for more vibrantly colored White’, but if you look closer, you’ll notice that its ‘Diane’s Gold’ (photo, top), which has a similar plants, such as ‘Gold Heart’ margins are creamy yellow. During the summer, the vigor but a tamer foliage color than ‘Spring bleeding heart (Dicentra leaves can look nearly white at times, so the confu- Yellow’—and that clicked with me. The early leaves spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’, Zones sion is understandable. Don’t put ‘Hadspen Cream’ of ‘Diane’s Gold’ are golden-hued, changing to 3–9) and ‘Diana Clare’ lung- in full sun, where its leaves will burn; it’s perfect chartreuse for much of summer. The foliage is quite wort (Pulmonaria longifolia ‘Dawson’s White’ in a moist woodland garden as an accent or when pretty in the shade, where the leaves hold their ‘Diana Clare’, Zones 3–8). Standard brunnera

52 Fine Gardening | APRIL 2015 finegardening.com 53 Variegated FoliageNursery, Forestfarm, Digging DogNursery, The followingmail-order plantsellers offer manyofthe brunneras featured: SOURCES: ‘Alexander’s Great’ ‘Silver Heart’ up-and-comers Williams,Ore.; 541-846-7269; forestfarm.com that are worththat are a second look a second Albion,Calif.;707-937-1130;diggingdog.com Eastford, Conn.;860-974-3951;variegatedfoliage.com

‘Sea Heart’ With anamelike Chicago Botanic Garden inGlencoe, Illinois. Richard Hawke is theplant-evaluationmanagerat the ity, then ‘Sea Heart’istheonetotry. you’ve struggledwithbrunneras inhighheatandhumid - wide—that’s alreadyasbigexpectedatmaturity. If gardens, ‘Sea Heart’grewto12inchestalland24 taposed againstthemetallicleaves. In itsfirstyearinour utive paleblueandlavender flowersiswonderfullyjux- nematodes, too. Inspring, theeffervescenceofdimin- the hairy, thickleaves appeartobelessaffectedbyfoliar than theothersyetdidn’tskipabeat. Inearlyreports, however, oneofourplantsreceivedmoreafternoonsun claim because2014was apleasantlymildsummerforus; humidity. We haven’t hadanopportunitytofullytestthis pressibly brightleaves—is agreatertolerance forheat and Frost’, aswell, itsclaimtofame—asidefromtheirre- green markings. While seeminglyalookalikeof ‘Jack tion withsparklingsilverleaves overlaidwithverydark butterfly’s wingbutareactuallytoughasnails. toughness inthesameplant; itsleaves lookasdelicatea their anticipatedfullsize. ‘Silver Heart’pairseleganceand were 11inchestalland23 wide—justaninchoff in springtime. Inthefirstyearinourgardens, theplants Dark blueflowersareastrikingfoiltotheluminousleaves less prominent, allowingthesilver toshineallthemore. glow intheshadygarden; thegreenveinsandedgesare is crazy beautiful. The frostedsilver leaves practically East Coasttrials. And like ‘Looking Glass’, ‘Silver Heart’ onstrated improvedresistance toheatandhumidityin two aresimilarinappearance, but ‘Silver Heart’hasdem- which I’ve seengrowingbrilliantly inotherplaces. The because Ihadn’thadthebestofluckwith ‘Looking Glass’, its fullpotential. to grow ‘Alexander’s Great’awhilelongertodiscover Frost’ inourtrials. Clearly, I’mnottheonly onewhohas tall and28incheswide, whichisnotevenasbig ‘Jack the plantinpromotionalmaterialsiscitedas15inches least afootacross. Where I’mconfusedisthatthesizeof of thisplant, besidehiscreation, andeachleaflooksat als show Alexander Zukeivich, theBelarusianoriginator thing ispointingtoitsbeingbigger. Promotional materi- so Ihaven’t seenitsultimatesizeyet, butsofar, every- I’ve onlyevaluated ‘Alexander’s Great’foroneseason, Great’ istoutedtohave supersizeleaves bycomparison. etched silverleaves. The differenceisthat ‘Alexander’s resembles ‘Jack Frost’, withsimilarlystrikinggreen- this brunnera apart. ‘Alexander’s Great’superficially it probablywon’tbesurprisingthatsizeiswhatsets ‘Sea Heart’ I was eagertogrow (photo, bottomright)isanothernewselec- ‘Alexander’s Great’ ‘SilverHeart’ (photo, bottomleft) (photo, topleft),

Photos, except where noted: millettephotomedia.com; p. 50, courtesy of Richard Hawke; p. 51, Pernilla Bergdahl/gapphotos.com; p. 52 (top left), Doreen Wynja; p. 53 (bottom), Jerry Pavia; p. 54 (top) and p. 55 (top and center), Danielle Sherry

Photo: and appearance.Afterward, keep cut backtorejuvenate theirhealth damaged plantscanbecompletely be promptly removed. Andseverely from sun,drought, orpests,should Unsightly foliage,whetherdamaged and health Pruning isessentialforgoodlooks The third plantingwasoftenthecharm. rather thandeficienciesintheplants. times toosunny, toowet,ordry) I attributethistoissueswithoursite(at again—to gettheseplantsestablished. hiccups. We hadtotryandtry—and tothetopwasn’ttheir journey without Frost’ received highratingsinourtrial, White’, ‘HadspenCream’, and‘Jack Although ‘BettyBowring’,‘Dawson’s If atfirstyoudon’tsucceed, again try I’ve foundthataconsistentlymoistsoilisessentialforthemtoflourish,especiallyiftheplantsreceive sunlightduringtheday. site withmoistbutnotsoggysoil—theywillgrow happily. Somereference booksstatethattheywillgrow wellindryshade,but Having lostmyshare ofbrunneras,Iwouldnotsaythattheyare acinchtogrow. Butifyougivethemwhattheywant—ashady ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ rating Overall Name ‘Spring Y B. macrophylla ‘Silver Wings’ B. macrophylla ‘Mr. Morse’ B. macrophylla ‘Looking Glass’ B. macrophylla ‘Langtrees’ B. macrophylla Ransom’ ‘King’s B. macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ B. macrophylla Cream’ ‘Hadspen B. macrophylla ‘Emerald Mist’ B. macrophylla ‘Diane’s Gold’ B. macrophylla White’ ‘Dawson’s B. macrophylla ‘Betty Bowring’ B. macrophylla macrophylla Brunnera Everything you shouldknow aboutbrunnera ellow’ Height inches 18 inches 18 inches 12 8 inches inches 14 inches 14 inches 17 inches 15 6 inches inches 10 inches 16 inches 19 inches 18

they recover. plants watered forseveralweekswhile ered invasive;variegatedformsoften close totheparents andaren’t consid- in moistsites.Seedlingstendtoarise reduces reseeding, whichcanbeprolific keeping plantstidyandhealthy;italso Removing spentflowerheadsisvitalto Deadhead orelse those withleavesofadifferent color. ‘Silver Heart’,toughitoutbetterthan ‘Looking Glass’,‘SeaHeart’,and Frost’, ‘King’s Ransom’,‘Langtrees’, silver-leaved cultivars,suchas‘Jack the warmendoftheirhardiness range; and humidity, especiallyinareas at Brunneras cansuffer stress from heat humid conditions Silver leavesholdupbesttohotand Width inches 32 inches 36 inches 28 inches 12 inches 36 inches 27 inches 34 inches 28 inches 10 inches 17 inches 33 inches 42 inches 36 Leaf color Yellow spots Light green; silver Silver; green veins Silver; green veins Green; silverspots margins Silver; yellow Silver; green veins yellow margins Green; creamy spots Dark green; silver Golden yellow-green margins Green; creamy white Green Green basics 

color Flower blue Light blue Light White Blue Blue Blue Blue blue Light Blue Blue Blue White Blue don’t overwhelmthedesired plant. cut outwhentheyappearsothat leaved reversions, too,whichshouldbe cultivars periodicallythrow upgreen- produce green seedlings.Variegated ignore theseplants. Deerseemto a truehealthconcern. issues are, luckily, more cosmeticthan tom), nematodes,andrabbits.These leaf damagefrom slugs(photo,bot- plants, butyoumightoccasionallysee Brunneras are tough,fairlytrouble-free A fewpestscancausesomedamage scorch thesebeauties(photo,top). hot, sunnylocations,whichwilleasily sun.Butbewarea bitofmorning and ‘HadspenCream’ isenhancedby The creaminess of‘Dawson’s White’ T oo muchsunwillleadtoscorching Bloom period late spring Midspring to early summer Late springto late spring Midspring to late spring Midspring to late spring Midspring to late spring Midspring to early summer Midspring to early summer Midspring to Late spring late spring Early springto late spring Midspring to early summer Midspring to late spring Midspring to production Flower Heavy Heavy Moderate Moderate Low Heavy Heavy Heavy Low Moderate Heavy Heavy Heavy finegardening.com Sun scorch Slug damage ★ Poor ★★ Fair ★★★ Good ★★★★ Excellent Ratings: winter losses or plant injury pest problems; tions; diseaseor and soilcondi- to environmental and adaptation traits; growth Ornamental Observations: conditions natural thrive orfailunder plants to allowing Care: Minimal, well-drained soil tial shade;moist, Conditions: Par Zone: 5b four years A minimumof How long: Parameters Trial -