Behold! Plant nirvana has been achieved. The elusive blue flower of nature. Allow me the esteemed pleasure to present to you...
Pulmonaria ‘Benediction’
This variety of #Lungwort grows up to 1 foot tall. It blooms awesome neon blue flowers that begin ultra florescent violet. It is fantastic to have in the garden, as it blooms in early spring before the daffodils open. Perenniel? Oh yeah.
The tag says it grows in shade and part shade. It is a woodland type of plant that prefers cool, moist soil, but don't let that stop you from putting it anywhere. It has been known to perform well in bright sunlight. It does not like acidic soil, and is often found near limestone.
Look at all the little flower bulbs it makes! They cluster up until the stem starts to get overloaded by the weight, and then they pop open spreading color joy in all directions.
Why did they name this variety ‘Benediction’? I have no idea. It blooms on the mythical day The Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, so that could be it. Personally I think it represents the blue stained-glass windows that usually light up in the early afternoon as the Pastor is delivering The Benediction, which is the prayer or song that closes the church service. I have fond memories of this miraculous event occurring when I was a child attending Sunday church services, as I was showered in Heavenly blue light.
Leaves are freckled with white dots. The green stems and leaf edges are tipped with soft furry hairs. Those little hairs make this a smart companion plant to deter aphids and ants, and possibly other bad bugs.
It may attract slugs, so be sure to pick them off. Also woodchucks are rumored to adore this plant. How much lungwort can a woodchuck huck? Vvlueah!
Fortunately, this flower is also an early source of nectar and pollen, making it a magnet for butterflies, bees, and sometimes hummingbirds.
Although it has been bred to have mildew resistance, that does not mean it is immune. Use a rocky, gritty, sandy soil to ensure that water drains quickly from the surface soil. It can tolerate all of the Oregon muck and clay soil, but will benefit by amending the surrounding soil with the standard choices of compost and nutritious potting soil.
If it ever has an attack of mildew, chop the foliage and flowers at ground level, and new growth and flowers will return in the same growing season. Yes, it will grow back!
None of these photos so far have any adjustments or filters added to enhance the natural colors captured. It really is as brilliant as it looks. I took photos this morning as I prepared to plant it under the edge of our raised deck in the back yard, and I also took some photos in the afternoon.
For lovers of blue, this is THE Plant for you.
Lungwort is a super stunner sure to catch your eye from far away. It might even make you stop and linger a moment longer than usual, for the momentary sensation of taking in its radiant glory. Great way to make you spend a few more moments idling outside. More fresh air and stress relief? Okay! So Lungwort keeps the smartphone and TV at bay.
Where to Find this Plant?
Lungwort is a common enough plant most garden stores are likely to carry. It gets overlooked often as a boring green fuzzy-leafed plant, because it usually puts out most flowers when garden stores are not yet open for business. Look for it as soon as the plant nurseries open in February or March, to get the most of the new blue flowers.
I purchased my plant at a recent plant show, called Plant Nerd Night. It was a local annual event just outside Portland, Oregon. Vendors from across the Pacific Northwest are invited to present their share of strange and unusual plants they have been cultivating to get the most amazing colors, shapes, fragrances, and longevity. It's meant to be an introduction to the trend-setting plants we can look forward to growing in the upcoming year.
I think this plant will look nice next to the dwarf iris and crocus flowers that are coming up soon.
Pulmonaria ‘Benediction’ was purchased from Great Plant Picks, which I believe is based out of Seattle, and works in conjunction with The Elisabeth C. Miller Bontanical Garden.
Check out the garden photos on their website. Absolutely sensational photos of gorgeous gardens.
Great Plant Picks is more of a collection of horticulture experts, providing advice on which plants grow best in the Pacific Northwest. This year, they offer a free poster on their website, and a plant directory to help you find the perfect plants to be growing in the garden so you can have flowers and colors all year long.
They also provide many other free resources to help you quickly find the plant that is right for you and your needs, and then you can locate where to purchase it from in their directory of garden nurseries.
Food for Medicine
The leaves are edible. Young leaves have the best texture, and may be cooked as a vegetable, or eaten raw and added to salads. The leaves are low in fiber. Some may not like the taste, especially due to the hairs, because it can feel a bit slimy. Vermouth uses Lungwort as one of its ingredients for its distinctive flavor. Leaves may be collected in the Spring and dried out to be used later.
No, this plant does not cause warts on the lungs, or treat lung warts. Lungwort is a blessing for treating all kinds of ailments related to breathing impairments such as coughs, colds, bronchitis, mucus build-up, sinus pressure, sore throat, and asthma.
According to naturalmedicinalherbs.net, the leaves and also flowering shoots are said to be astringent, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, mildly expectorant and resolvent. They also recommend using the leaves with distilled water to wash contaminated eyes. A bleeding cut on the skin can be remedied by covering it tightly with the leaves.
Folklore and Magic
This plant is believed to be most closely aligned with the element of air. It's good luck to bring it with you when flying. Use it to help you breath if you feel nauseous or anxious on a plane.
Swedish Botanist, Carl Linnæus christened the plant Dodecatheon in the 1700's. Dodecatheon is the Twelve Divinities. He must have noticed in April (during Easter) and during the holy month of Lent, the stem is crowned with twelve pink flowers reversed. The little red flowers (blood/death) disappeared, and became resurrected (Holy Spirit) in bright blue.
Since it is a blessed plant during the Ancient Pagan Easter holiday, it is also an herb of the god Jupiter.
In the olden days, they often named plants after the body part they resembled, and thought that was reason enough to use it as a remedy to treat maladies related to specific organs. This practice was called the Doctrine of Signatures. Perhaps they believed the plants were gifts from the gods, with instructions on how to use them being written on their leaf shapes. The oval shaped spotted leaves of Lungwort were thought to resemble diseased lungs. Pulminaria is rooted in the Latin word pulmno meaning lung. Wort is Latin for plant. It has nothing to do with warts.
Did you know?
Lungwort is one of the only plants that will grow underneath a Black Walnut tree? That is because it is immune to the toxic substance produced from the Black Walnut tree's invasive roots.
Lungwort belongs to the same family of plants as Borage.
What are those speckled spots on the leaves? It is not an absence of chlorophyll, as is the case with most plants that have variegated leaves. The white spots are actually air pockets, and this air masks the chlorophyll from showing on the surface. Pretty neat, huh? Nature's bubble-wrap!
Other nicknames include: The Virginian Cowslip, Cowslip of Jerusalem, Sage of Jerusalem, Sage of Bethlehem, Wild Comfrey, and Spotted Dog. Though I really like Soldiers and Sailors, which represents the variety of blue and red flowers you can get at the same time as they change color (British soldiers wear red uniforms, and the Navy sailors wear blue).
This article was a true joy to share. All photos were 100% original and taken from my smartphone camera this morning.
Please be careful if planning to use this plant for actual medicinal purposes. Always consult a doctor if you are unsure if it is safe to use. I am not a doctor or expert on this plant, and have no experience using this plant for food or medical purposes. Medicinal plants can be toxic if taken in excess, so only take it as directed by a accredited and licenced professional.
I borrowed a lot of information from sources freely available on the web to present as entertaining and useful facts.
Information sources:
Let me know in the comments below if you know any other usual traits or tall tales about his unusual blue little flower, the Lungwort. Have you ever grown this before?
