Brunnera 'Sea Heart'

Brunnera 'Sea Heart': Silver Leaves Tough Enough for August

Most silver brunneras panic the second the sun peeks around the corner. 'Sea Heart' has thicker skin. Rounded silver leaves and blue flowers that start pink in bud, with the calm of a week at the cottage. UNFAZED BY A LITTLE SUNSHINE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Brunnera macrophylla 'Sea Heart'
• Common Name: Siberian Bugloss
• Height: 30 cm (12 in)
• Spread: 40–45 cm (16–18 in)
• Flowers: Sprays of tiny, forget-me-not-style blue flowers, pinkish in bud
• Bloom Time: Mid to late spring (April to May)
• Foliage: Large, thick, rounded heart-shaped leaves, heavily silvered with green veins
• Features: Rabbit resistant, more resistant to sun scorch than older silver cultivars

Where to Plant: Plant it along a shady path, at the front of a woodland border, or in groups in a shady bed. The silver leaves brighten dark corners long after the flowers finish, and it makes a tidy edging for the north side of a house.

Companion Plants: Use 'Sea Heart' in a moist, shady bed with pink plumes and cream-edged leaves for summer. Heuchera 'Fire Alarm' adds bright red foliage at 20 to 25 cm. Hosta 'First Frost' brings blue-green leaves edged in cream at 40 to 45 cm. Astilbe 'Glitter and Glamour' adds pale pink plumes at 70 cm in June and July. Hystrix patula adds a native bottlebrush grass at 60 to 120 cm in flower.

Plant Care: Give it part shade or full shade, with protection from hot afternoon sun. It likes fertile, humus-rich soil that stays evenly moist but drains well. Work compost into heavy clay before planting. Water during dry spells, especially in the first season. Dry soil is what stresses Brunnera most. Cut the flower stems back after blooming to keep the clump neat. Remove any tired leaves in fall or early spring. Clumps can be divided in early spring if needed, but it's happy to stay put for years.

History: 'Sea Heart' was found in 2010 by Peter Jan Willemsen in the Netherlands as a natural sport of Brunnera 'Silver Lace'. It was selected for its large, strong leaves and better resistance to sun scorch than 'Jack Frost'.

Final Thoughts: Deer pass, rabbits pass, you get to relax. Plant it where your old brunnera fried. SECOND CHANCES LOOK GOOD ON YOU.