Brunnera 'Queen of Hearts'
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Brunnera 'Queen of Hearts': Big Silver Hearts Holding Court
'Queen of Hearts' rules the shade with silver leaves and a strict dress code. Baby-blue flowers float overhead like courtiers. Dull plants in her bed? OFF WITH THEIR HEADS.
Plant Characteristics:
- Botanical Name: Brunnera macrophylla 'Queen of Hearts'
- Common Name: Siberian Bugloss, Heartleaf Brunnera
- Series: A Proven WinnersÂź perennial
- Height: 41â46 cm (16â18 in)
- Spread: 71â91 cm (28â36 in)
- Flowers: Tiny baby-blue, forget-me-not-like flowers in clusters above the foliage
- Bloom Time: Mid to late spring (April to May)
- Foliage: Large heart-shaped leaves with a heavy silver overlay and narrow bands of dark green veining
Where to Plant: Use it as a centrepiece in a shade bed, in groups along a woodland edge, or in large containers on a shaded patio. Its silver leaves brighten the north side of a house.
Companion Plants: Give 'Queen of Hearts' a moist, shady bed with dark leaves and a tall late bloomer behind. Heuchera 'Plum Pudding' adds plum-purple foliage at 20 to 25 cm. Hosta montana 'Aureomarginata' brings big gold-edged leaves at 60 to 70 cm. Cimicifuga 'Brunette' rises behind at 120 to 150 cm with dark leaves and fragrant spikes from August to October. Chasmanthium latifolium adds bamboo-like leaves at 60 to 120 cm with dangling seed heads.
Plant Care: Grow it in part to full shade, in moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. In northern gardens it can take morning sun if the soil stays moist; avoid hot afternoon sun. Water through dry spells and mulch to keep the roots cool, especially in the first year. Remove flower stems after bloom to keep the mound tidy. Trim any damaged leaves during the season. Leave the foliage for winter and clean it up in early spring as new leaves emerge. Divide in spring when clumps get crowded.
History: 'Queen of Hearts' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a 2015 cross between 'Alexander's Great' and a seedling of 'Diane's Gold', and it inherited the big leaves of its seed parent. The species grows wild in mountain forests of the Caucasus and Turkey.
Final Thoughts: The deer have been banished from the kingdom and the bees have royal passes. Bow, then plant three. LONG MAY SHE REIGN.