April Perennial of the Month-Siberian bugloss/Brunnera

Few perennials bloom in spring as long as Siberian bugloss or Brunnera. (Brunnera spp. & cvs.) The charming blue flowers are as blue as one can get in the garden, especially in the Mid-West. 

Brunnera is one of the first true perennials to flower as early as late March or early April, and it keeps going for a whole month or more into May. A mass of Brunnera can take a ho-hum shady spot and turn it into an enchanted garden. 

Brunnera typically stays under 18″ with its rosette of heart-shaped leaves. Most cultivars sold in nurseries are one of the many fascinating, variegated forms, like ‘Jack Frost’ or the larger cultivar, ‘Alexander’s Great’, which grows to over 2′ wide. The rough-textured leaves make it more resistant to deer and rabbits. Other pests and diseases also leave it alone. 

Shady spots in the garden are preferred with humus-rich soil and good moisture levels. It will be one of the first perennials to flag that you need to water when things get too dry.

Brunnera can be used as a ground cover, but its nature to haphazardly reseed into freeform masses means you won’t always have a dense, should-to-shoulder mass. This is another level of charm in a woodland garden but remember that the variegated cultivars do not always come “true to seed,” and the offspring will most likely not be variegated. 

What I love about this plant;

-Long-lasting bloom time.

-Charming true-blue flowers.

-Interesting, variegated leaves on some cultivars.

-The non-aggressive, hap-hazard way it reseeds and naturalizes.

What’s not so great;

-The offspring of the variegated cultivars from reseeding are not always true to seed and will not be variegated. The solid green version is just as charming and less finicky in the garden. Enjoy the volunteers, or dig them up to transplant, fill in, or give away.

-Brunnera tends to “burn down” or develop mid-day wilt in extreme heat (AKA St. Louis Summer). They generally pop back up once temps cool off at night. Shade, especially in the late afternoon, is helpful, as is regular watering.

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

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