Ornamental · Boraginaceae
Brunnera
Brunnera macrophylla
Give it shade and steady moisture, and Brunnera lights up the dark corners with silvered leaves and tiny blue spring flowers.
Partial shade
USDA 3–8
12–18 in · 30–46 cm
Overview
Brunnera earns its keep in the shade, where its big heart-shaped leaves carry the show long after the flowers fade. It belongs to the borage family and goes by Siberian bugloss, a clump-forming perennial that spreads slowly from a creeping rhizome. In early spring it throws up airy sprays of small blue flowers that look so much like forget-me-nots it picked up the name false forget-me-not.
The foliage is the real draw. Plain green on the species, but the popular kinds wear silver frosting, bright veins, or creamy white edges that catch what little light reaches a shady bed. The plant stays low, around 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm) tall, and slowly widens into a tidy mound that pairs well with hostas and ferns.
It asks for little once settled. Brunnera wants shade, rich soil, and water it can count on, and it shrugs off both deer and rabbits. The one thing it won't forgive is heat and drought, which scorch the leaves brown at the edges and leave the plant looking tired by midsummer.
Care
The short version: part to full shade out of the hot afternoon sun, soil kept evenly moist and never bone dry, and rich ground with a layer of mulch to hold the moisture and cool the roots.
Light
Brunnera is a true shade plant. Give it part to full shade with shelter from the hot afternoon sun, since direct light scorches the leaves and washes out their color. A dappled spot under trees suits it well.
Water
Keep the soil consistently and evenly moist, because Brunnera won't tolerate dry ground. A layer of mulch holds that moisture in and keeps the roots cool, which matters most through the heat of summer.
Soil
Plant in fertile, organically rich loam that drains well but holds steady moisture. It takes a wide pH range, anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, so most garden beds amended with compost will do the job.
Humidity
Ordinary garden humidity is fine, so there's no number to hit. What Brunnera can't stand is hot, humid summers, the kind common in the deep South, where the combination wears the plant down.
Feeding
Feed lightly through the growing season with a balanced fertilizer, or simply work compost and organic matter into the soil each spring. Rich ground keeps the foliage full and is most of what this plant needs.
Pruning
Tidy up scorched or tattered leaves as they appear, and cut back the spent flower stems once the blue blooms finish. In late fall or early spring, cut the old foliage down to the ground to make way for fresh growth.
Size & spacing
Plants reach about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm) tall and slowly spread 18 to 30 inches (46 to 76 cm) wide. Give each clump that much room and it fills in into a neat, ground-covering mound.
When to plant
Brunnera is grown as a perennial, so there's no yearly replanting once it's in the ground. Set out new plants or divisions in spring or fall while the weather is mild, then watch for the blue flowers from early to mid-spring before the foliage takes over for the rest of the season.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Usually propagated by division rather than seed; sow indoors is not typical.
- Plant: Plant in spring or fall during mild weather to avoid heat or cold stress.
- Harvest: Blooms early to mid-spring (about April to May), sometimes into early summer.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Brunnera rarely gives much trouble, and most of what does go wrong traces back to too much sun or not enough water. Watch the leaf edges and the foliage in high summer, since that's where the first signs show. Match what you see below and act before the damage spreads.
Wilting and decline through a hot, humid summer
Brunnera struggles in hot, humid weather, the kind common across the deep South, and it can falter wherever summers run warm. Give it deep shade and steady moisture through the worst of the heat, and mulch heavily to keep the roots cool. The plant is happiest in zones 3 to 8, so a cooler, shadier spot is the surest fix.
Fix:
- Provide deep shade and consistent soil moisture in summer
- Mulch heavily to cool soil
- Grow in cooler microclimates or northern zones where possible
Crispy brown leaf edges and washed-out color
This is leaf scorch, and it comes from too much hot sun or soil that dries out in the heat. Move the plant into part to full shade where the afternoon sun can't reach it, keep the soil evenly moist, and mulch to hold that moisture in. Trim off the worst leaves and fresh ones will push up to replace them.
Fix:
- Move or transplant to part to full shade with afternoon shade
- Keep soil consistently moist
- Mulch to cool and conserve soil moisture
- Remove badly scorched leaves to encourage fresh growth
Ragged holes in the leaves with silvery slime trails
Those holes and shiny trails are the work of slugs and snails, which love the damp shade Brunnera grows in. Go out at dusk and pick them off by hand. Clear away the leaf litter and wet mulch they hide under, and scatter iron phosphate bait if they keep coming back.
Fix:
- Handpick slugs and snails in the evening
- Reduce excess moisture and remove debris hiding spots
- Use iron phosphate slug bait if needed
Toxicity
Good news for pet owners and parents: Brunnera is not toxic. It doesn't appear on the ASPCA's list of plants dangerous to cats or dogs, and there's no known hazard to other animals or to people. You can plant it freely in a garden shared by pets and children.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Brunnera is not on the ASPCA's toxic list, so a curious cat can nose around the leaves without harm.
Dogs None
A dog that nibbles a leaf has nothing to fear here. The plant carries no known toxin for them.
Horses Safe
No poisoning risk for horses that graze nearby.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits tend to leave Brunnera alone, and the foliage poses no danger if they do take a bite.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can browse it without trouble, though it rarely tempts them.
Birds Safe
Safe around birds, with no toxic seeds or foliage to worry about.
People Safe
No toxic compounds make this a hazard to handle or grow around children. It's an ornamental, not a food plant, so there's no reason to eat it.
Varieties
Most gardeners grow Brunnera for the named foliage selections rather than the plain green species. These are the ones you'll run into most.
Jack Frost
Its frosted silver leaves carry a thin green margin and green veins, on a plant about 12 to 15 inches tall.
Looking Glass
The heart-shaped leaves turn an almost solid metallic silver, with barely any green left to see.
Variegata
Green leaves edged in broad creamy white reach about 12 to 15 inches tall and brighten a shady corner.
Alexander's Great
This one grows big, with large silvered leaves rimmed and veined in green, climbing to roughly 12 to 18 inches.
How to propagate
Brunnera makes more of itself the easy way, by dividing an established clump rather than fussing with seed.
DivisionEasy
Divide clumps in early spring or fall. · Usually establishes within one growing season.
Brunnera spreads from a rhizome, so the easy way to make more is to split a clump. Lift it in early spring or fall, pull the rhizomes apart, and replant, and each piece settles in within a single growing season. One caution: patented cultivars can't be legally propagated, so check the name before you divide.
Myths
Brunnera is just another forget-me-not.
The flowers do look the part, and one of its common names is false forget-me-not, but Brunnera macrophylla is a separate rhizomatous perennial in the borage family. Gardeners grow it for the big heart-shaped leaves, not as a true Myosotis.
Brunnera needs full sun to bloom and grow well.
This is a shade plant through and through. It wants part to full shade with shelter from the hot afternoon sun, and too much sun scorches the leaves instead of feeding the bloom.