Pulmonaria saccharata Dora Bielefeld - Lungwort

The Pulmonaria saccharata 'Dora Bielefeld' is a German selection of lungwort appreciated for its flowering, habit, disease resistance, and adaptability to difficult climatic conditions. The Chicago Botanic Garden has noted it very favourably for all these aspects. Its fresh green foliage marked with pale silver spots forms spreading and dense clumps, retaining its ornamental qualities until winter. The abundant light pink funnel-shaped flowers emerge from coral buds and, unlike other lungworts, these flowers rarely turn blue.

The hybrid lungwort 'Dora Bielefeld' is a horticultural cultivar derived from the species Pulmonaria saccharata (syn. P. picta), also known as Bethlehem sage. The Pulmonaria saccharata, also called Spotted lungwort, is a fully hardy herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the same family as borage and brunnera, the Boraginaceae family. It is a botanical species native to semi-open woodland areas in Europe and Asia, and has given rise to numerous cultivars with silver-spotted foliage. Pulmonaria saccharata is an evergreen plant found at between 600 and 1700 m (1968 and 5577ft) altitude in cool and shaded areas.

The 'Dora Bielefeld' variety forms a 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) high carpet of flowers and spreads laterally without a theoretical limit, but at least up to 60 cm (24in) in width. The leaves, arranged in a flat rosette, are very hairy and about 25 cm (10in) long. They are lanceolate, pointed at the top and rounded at the base, while those on the flowering stems are alternate, elongated, and without petioles. They are fresh green in colour, irregularly speckled with pale silver. Between March and June, stems covered with slightly rough hairs emerge from the foliage. They bear pendulous clusters or cymes of tubular flowers measuring 5 to 10 mm (0in) wide, light pink in colour, darker on the outside of the flowers and in the throat, and open from coral buds. This early flowering attracts the first bees, at a time of year when sources of nectar are still scarce. The creeping rhizome of lungworts produces new clusters of leaves after flowering, expanding the colony. The foliage persists throughout the year, even in winter if the frosts are not too severe.

The 'Dora Bielefeld' lungwort is a discreet, yet refined, hardy and luminous plant in shady beds, at the base of bushes, or in damp woodlands. It forms an excellent ground cover with often persistent foliage in well-protected areas. Without demanding conditions, it is content with soil under trees and bushes, as well as along sunless walls. A north or east-facing border also suits this plant perfectly. In summary, it is a blessing as long as it finds some freshness. Shady beds and the foreground of conifers pose no problem for this plant. Pair its flowering with spring bulbs for added cheerfulness and with late-flowering ground covers such as Geranium nodosum or periwinkle. Also consider the silver foliage of brunneras as an echo.