By Sandra Nelson
Siberian bugloss
Finding attractive, well-behaved plants for moist, full- shade locations can be tricky, but Siberian bugloss (Brunnera) could be your answer.
This easy to grow groundcover thrives in areas that receive as few as 4 hours of sunlight per day. It loves rich, moist soil, but once established, will tolerate slightly drier soil and some degree of drought. Siberian bugloss grows in rounded clumps which typically stand about 12 to 18 inches in height. It spreads slowly by rhizomes to about 2 feet wide.
Brunnera’s heart shaped leaves range in size from about 4 to 10 inches, depending on the variety. They are topped by masses of light blue, star-shaped flowers in April and May, attracting the early spring butterflies to your garden. The blooms, which rest on 12 to 18 inch stems, offer subtle contrast to the shades of silver, white or green foliage and can be cut to add to summer bouquets. Softly fuzzy leaves of all varieties are usually repellent to both deer and rabbits.
Photo Credit: Walter’s Gardens
Zones: 3 to 8* (*Most older varieties struggle in the hot, humid summers of the south, but some newer cultivars like “Jack Frost” are much more heat resistant. )
Companion Plants: Astilbe, Dicentra
Photo Credit: Walter’s Gardens Dicentra “Luxuriant”
Photo Credit: Walters Gardens Astilbe ‘Deutschland’
