Pulmonaria longifolia E.B Anderson - Lungwort

The Pulmonaria longifolia E.B Anderson is a selection of long-leaved lungwort that is particularly decorative with its foliage spotted with small, distinctly marked white spots, as well as with the abundance and intense colour of its blue-violet flowering. Vigorous, this small perennial forms a more or less persistent ground cover, extremely decorative in the cool and semi-shaded areas of the garden.

The Pulmonaria longifolia (synonym Pulmonaria angustifolia), also known as narrow-leaved lungwort, is a rhizomatous perennial plant with a thick stump of European origin (west, central, and northeast France, Belgium, Netherlands). In nature, it is found at the edge of forests or in wet meadows, up to 2000m (6562ft) altitude, on humus-rich, fresh, acidic to very slightly calcareous soil. It belongs to the Boraginaceae family, just like forget-me-nots and borage.

The variety 'E.B Anderson', sometimes marketed under the name 'Bertram Anderson', forms a flat and dense vegetation dome, 20-25 cm (8-10in) high and at least 60 cm (24in) wide, composed of a multitude of tightly packed narrow leaf rosettes. Its creeping rhizome produces new clusters of leaves after flowering, expanding the colony. The leaves are covered in hairs, rough, dark green-grey in colour, sprinkled with numerous almost white spots. They persist during our normal winters. The long-lasting flowering takes place from April to May-June. From the emerging foliage, short and upright floral stems rise up to 30-35 cm (12-14in) from the ground. They bear numerous reddish-pink flower buds that mix with small tubular flowers and flared with 5 rounded lobes of a magnificent gentian blue-violet. This nectar-rich flowering attracts and nourishes many pollinating insects. It is not uncommon for this perennial to self-seed in the garden, but the seedlings may not be identical to the parent plant.

Perennial and completely hardy, this Pulmonaria 'E.B Anderson' is mainly used as ground cover in the cool areas of the garden. In winter, in well-protected areas, its foliage is often evergreen. It will quickly bring a bright and colourful touch to the ground under large trees and bushes (if the soil does not dry out too much), along facades or north or east-facing paths, at the base of poorly sunny walls, but also not far from water sources. Plant some spring bulbs that will bloom here and there with your lungwort, Solomon's seals, lilies of the valley, or even periwinkles. Also consider mixing your flowerbed with ground covers that flower later, such as perennial nodding cranesbill (Geranium vivace nodosum).