Pulmonaria Diana Clare

Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare' is the current gold standard for silver-leaf, heat-loving lungworts. Pulmonaria 'Diana Clare' is a vigorous Pulmonaria longifolia hybrid discovered by our plant friend Bob Brown in 1995 at his UK nursery. Bob was so impressed with his new find that he not only introduced it but also named it after his wife, Diana Clare. The 10" tall x 18" wide clump is composed of long, pointed leaves with a spotted border that quickly ages to pure silver. The clumps are topped, starting in late February, with short stalks of flowers that open dark violet, but soon age to cobalt blue – truly superb! Maintenance: Pulmonarias are evergreen herbaceous perennials. They are grown as much for their spring floral display as for their evergreen silver spotted or entirely silvered foliage. Spent flower stalks are not attractive and need to be removed so the foliage can once again take center stage. They are readily cut down low enough so they are out of sight. If allowed to go to the seed they can produce seedlings which will not be true to type. Lungworts don't require regular division but division is a means of propagation that the home gardener can employ to increase their display. Growing Conditions: Pulmonarias want a bright shady or part shade location with moist well drained soil, neither soggy or dry. Garden Value: Pulmonaria are entirely worth growing for their early spring floral display. Cobolt blue is the most common flower color for these perennials; a color that is fairly rare amongst flowers. Those cultivars with silver spotted or entirely silvered leaves add color to the shade garden most of the rest of the year and thus are of great value to those wanting color in their shade garden. Lungworts are a member of the borage family, the Boraginaceae, and not readily eaten by rabbits and deer.