Spotted lungwort will grow in ordinary soil. For the foliage to remain good looking all summer, it must be grown in a shady location in rich, organic soil that never dries out yet never stays too wet. Some varieties are susceptible to powdery mildew; this fungal disease is more noticeable on plants that have been stressed from growing in conditions that are too wet or too dry. To increase the size of your planting, divide the crowns carefully as soon as the flowers are past their peak. Plant divisions in good rich soil and water thoroughly as the new leaves emerge.
Spotted lungwort provides two seasons of interest. It starts in spring with pink, blue, or white trumpet-shaped flowers on 10- to 12-inch stems. These are followed by showy green foliage that is spotted silver-gray; in some newer selections, the entire leaf may be silver-gray. The pink- and blue-flowered varieties often open as one color (pink) and turn to the other (blue) as they mature. Lungwort is so named because its leaves are said to look like a diseased lung. ‘Mrs. Moon’ is shown here.
Plant spotted lungwort under the high shade of tall trees or large shrubs. It looks most at home when interplanted with native wildflowers and spring-flowering bulbs. Lungwort’s showy foliage provides a long season of interest when planted alongside ground covers such as pachysandra that are solid green, or those that flower in early spring and are green for the rest of the year, such as periwinkle.
ZONES: 3–9
BLOOM TIME: Spring
LIGHT: Part shade
HEIGHT: 10–12 inches
INTEREST: Colorful flowers followed by ornamental spotted foliage that remains attractive all summer long