Pulmonaria 'Pink-a-Blue'

Pulmonaria 'Pink-a-Blue': Pink and Blue Sharing One Stem

Pink buds open deep pink, then turn medium blue, and the plant wears both colours at once. 'Pink-a-Blue' couldn't pick a paint chip, so it bought both cans. INDECISIVE, BUT GORGEOUS.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Pulmonaria hybrid
• Common Name: Lungwort
• Series: A Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 41–46 cm (16–18 in)
• Spread: 56–61 cm (22–24 in)
• Flowers: Pink buds open deep pink and mature to medium blue, with both colours on the plant at once
• Bloom Time: Mid to late spring (May to June)
• Foliage: Deep green with silver speckling, attractive after the flowers fade
• Features: Rabbit resistant
• Plant Patent: USPP 35,232

Where to Plant: It's a good size for the front or middle of a shade border, for edging a woodland path, or for planting in groups under trees. It also works in containers and as a cut flower for small spring bouquets.

Companion Plants: Epimedium 'Lilafee' flowers violet in April and May, just as the lungwort gets going. Hosta 'Big Daddy' adds big leaves at 60 to 65 cm and white flowers in June and July. Eurybia divaricata fills late summer with white flowers from August to October. It's a full-season shade planting.

Plant Care: Plant it in fertile soil that drains well but stays consistently moist. It tolerates neutral to alkaline soil, which is helpful in many Ontario and Quebec gardens. Water through dry spells. Lungworts that dry out tend to look ragged and can get mildew. After blooming, cut off the spent flower stems and any tired leaves to encourage fresh foliage. Divide crowded clumps in early fall or right after flowering.

History: 'Pink-a-Blue' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a self-pollinated seedling of an unreleased hybrid, and was patented in 2023 and introduced through Proven Winners®. Lungworts belong to the borage family, whose flowers are known for shifting from pink to blue as they age.

Final Thoughts: Hummingbirds and bees love it, deer and rabbits don't, and the silver-speckled leaves keep looking good. WHY CHOOSE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BOTH?