Perennial of the Month-- April 2008

(pull-mo-NAIR-ee-ah) (pronunciation at link, turn up volume if too low)

Common name: Opal lungwort

Family: Boraginaceae, Borage

Height x width: 12" x 24'

Growth rate, habit: moderate, low spreading rounded mound

Foliage: somewhat narrow, deep green splashed with silver speckles

Flowers: pale "opalescent"  or "luminous" blue fading lighter, in small clusters,  for several weeks in spring

Hardiness: USDA zones 4-8, AHS heat zones 8-5

Soil: moist not wet, tolerates some dryness once established

Light: part shade to shade 

Pests and problems: none significant

Landscape habit, uses: shade garden, front of border, massed as groundcover, containers; try interplanting with grape hyacinths, Siberian squill, ferns, white bleeding heart, 'Jack Frost' or 'Looking Glass' Siberian bugloss, blue corydalis

Other interest: patented introduction (USPP#12,931) of Blooms of Bressingham with patented cultivar name of 'Ocupol', also COPF (Canada patent); nice and somewhat unique flower color for genus, doesn't change to red as many in genus; possibly a cross with saccharata as a parent; originally from the UK Hardy Plant society member garden of Sue Cupitt

Other culture: may need to remove (deleaf) older basal leaves later in summer if browning, or cut back in midsummer and allow to regrow

Propagation: patented so commercial propagation by licensed growers in US and Canada (UK rights terminated); divide at  home if needed

Sources:  specialty perennial nurseries locally, mail order, or online; Sunny Border nurseries (wholesale, 2008), Rare Find Nursery (2008)