Culture
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade. Prefers consistently moist, organically rich soils in shady areas. Generally intolerant of dry soils, but tolerates some dryness better than most other cultivars of this species. Foliage may scorch in hot summer sun. Plants prefer cool summers, and generally will not perform well in the hot and humid summer conditions of the deep South (USDA Zones 7-9). Clumps slowly spread by creeping rhizomes to form thick ground covers. Plants may self seed in optimum growing conditions, but seedlings of variegated forms may not come true (may lose variegation).
Noteworthy Characteristics
Brunnera macrophylla, commonly called Siberian bugloss, is a rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial that is primarily grown in shady areas for its attractive heart-shaped, dark green, basal foliage. Small, blue, forget-me-not-like flowers with white centers bloom in airy, branched racemes rising well above the foliage on slender stems to 18" tall in spring. Basal leaves form a foliage mound which remains attractive throughout the growing season. Smaller upper leaves are elliptic.
Brunnera macrophylla is synonymous with and sometimes sold as Anchusa myosotidiflora.
Genus name honors Swiss botanist Samuel Brunner (1790-1844).
Specific epithet from Latin means large leaved.
Common name of bugloss comes from Greek meaning ox tongue in probable reference to the roughness and shape of the leaves.
'King's Ransom' is a sport of Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ that was discovered by Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries. It has silvery-green, lightly frosted, heart-shaped leaves with dark green veins and a wide creamy yellow border that lightens to creamy white in summer. Its clumps of true blue forget-me-not-like flowers rise above the foliage in spring. ‘King’s Ransom’ is slightly smaller than ‘Jack Frost’ growing 0.5 to 1 ft. tall and 1 to 1.5 ft. wide. U.S. Plant Patent Applied For.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs and snails are occasional visitors.
Uses
Specimen, groups or mass as a ground cover. Borders, woodland gardens, naturalized areas or along streams or ponds. Containers.