Do lungwort plants spread
Rachel Hickman
Published Feb 24, 2026
Lungwort plants grow in clumps and reach a height of about 12 inches (30.5 cm.). In proper conditions they can spread rapidly and can be divided in early spring or fall. When dividing lungworts, don’t panic if the plants wilt soon after division. Simply replant them and provide water and they will perk up quickly.
Is lungwort a ground cover?
In the dappled shade of woodlands (or under a tree in your garden), lungwort is an unobtrusive ground cover and will surprise you every spring with a burst of small blue, pink, or coral flowers.
Is lungwort any good?
Lungmoss, also called lungwort or lung lichen, is an herbal remedy that’s believed to support the lungs. It can allegedly treat conditions like pneumonia or tuberculosis, but these effects lack scientific proof.
How far apart do you plant lungwort?
Generally speaking you should place the plants between 12 and 18 inches apart, and water them well until they are established.Can lungwort tolerate sun?
Lungwort is typically grown in partial sun to full shade. But it can tolerate quite a bit of bright light in the early spring, which is helpful because not as many trees have leafed out at that point to diffuse sunlight hitting the lungwort.
Should you deadhead lungwort?
Put off deadheading your lungwort (Pulmonaria hybrids) and you’ll be stuck tediously snipping around new foliage growth. Instead, it’s much easier to clip spent blooms right when lungwort is done flowering. Grab a handful of stems and cut them off as close to the base of the plant as possible, just like we did here.
Do bees like lungwort?
Pulmonaria officinalis is an excellent early-flowering nectar source for bees, and a perennial plant from the Boraginaceae family. … It’s loved by a variety of bumble bees in particular, but also hairy-footed flower bees.
Does lungwort come back every year?
The lungwort is a small plant that grows to be approximately one foot tall. It grows in tight clusters having speckled deep green, spear shaped leaves, similar to the shape of a lung. The leaves are either bristly or may simply have soft hairs on them. It is a perennial which means it will return year after year.Is common lungwort invasive?
Lungworts are clump-forming perennials that can be wide-spreading over time, but grow slowly and are not invasive or aggressive. The low-growing, rhizomatous nature of lungworts makes them good ground cover plants under small trees and shrubs.
How do you winterize lungwort?When winter temperatures arrive and plant foliage has started to die back, the leaves of the plant should be removed using a pair of sharp gardening shears. At this time, many growers also choose to cover the plant with a light layer of mulch to protect against harsh temperatures and to better regulate moisture.
Article first time published onHow do you split lungwort?
Though they can be left undisturbed for years, lungworts can be propagated by dividing the clumps in late summer/early fall or after flowering in spring. Carefully dig up the entire clump and divide the clump into sections with a sharp knife. Each section should contain several leaves and a portion of the root system.
Can you grow lungwort indoors?
Keeping in mind where and how they grow outdoors, indoor lungwort plants will not like hot and dry areas, and they also do not like very sunny areas. Pulmonaria indoors however, will benefit from some sun, since the intensity of sunshine indoors is much less than outdoors.
Can you eat lungwort?
Pulmonaria Officinalis is a popular edible garden plant which is used in herbal remedies to treat lung problems. But, they are also known to carry a fresh flavour and can be as good as spinach.
Does lungwort help pneumonia?
tree lungwort, also called Lungwort, (Lobaria pulmonaria), a lichen that, because of its physical resemblance to the lungs, was once used to treat tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other lung diseases.
How do you use lungwort tincture?
A traditional remedy used by professional herbalists. Max Dose: 3ml (60 drops) three times a day in little water. DO NOT EXCEED 63ml in any one week.
What is another name for lungwort?
Other Name(s): Coucou Bleu, Dage of Jerusalem, Grande Pulmonaire, Herbe Cardiaque, Herbe au Cœur, Herbe au Lait de Notre-Dame, Herbe aux Poumons, Lungenkraut, Pulmonaire, Pulmonaire Officinale, Pulmonaria, Pulmonaria officinalis, Pulmonariae Herba, Sauge de Bethléem, Sauge de Jérusalem.
What can I plant with Pulmonaria?
Other good companions to pulmonaria include ornamental grasses such as carex and Hakone grass, who love hanging out in the shade, like lungwort. Lungwort is also been known to shine next to ferns, bleeding hearts, foam flowers, and hostas.
Is lungwort the same as comfrey?
The word comfrey comes from the Latin word for “grow together”. It is a member of the Boraginaceae family, which also include borage, forget-me-nots, lungwort, and brunnera. There are several varieties of comfrey and any can be used to make fertilizer.
Is pulmonaria related to comfrey?
Pulmonarias are members of the borage family, (Boraginaceae). Along with their cousins, comfrey, borage, brunnera, forget-me-nots and anchusa, pulmonarias have hairy leaves and small funnel-shaped flowers. The common name is lungwort – The name Pulmonaria comes from the Latin pulmo, the lung.
Do hairy footed flowers sting Bees?
And the bees have weak stings, if at all, and I‘ve never been stung.
What to do with Pulmonaria after flowering?
When it has finished flowering I cut the leaves right back in June to encourage fresh new growth and discourage mildew. As well as ‘Sissinghurst’, P. officinalis ‘Alba’ and P. angustifolia ‘Alba’ are also excellent white forms.
Is Brunnera Forget Me Not?
Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla) is an outstanding perennial for the shade garden. Its common names are Siberian bugloss, heart-leaf brunnera and perennial forget-me-not. … Myosotis is the biennial forget-me-not. Its flowers are usually soft blue in spring on plants only about 6 to 8 inches tall.
Where is lungwort native?
Pulmonaria (lungwort) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, native to Europe and western Asia, with one species (P. mollissima) east to central Asia. According to various estimates there may be between 10 and 18 species found in the wild.
What are the most invasive plants?
- Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) …
- 2. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) …
- 3. Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) …
- Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) …
- English Ivy (Hedera helix) …
- Kudzu (Pueraria montana var.
Do perennials spread?
Many people think that perennials are less work because they come up every year. But some of these plants spread or self-seed so prolifically that they need digging and dividing every three to five years. These plants are not exactly low-maintenance. Such perennials are often given to friends, family and neighbors.
What does the plant Pulmonaria look like?
Pulmonaria officinalis (common lungwort, Jerusalem cowslip) has grey-white spotted, oval light-green leaves with clusters of small, funnel-shaped, bluish-purple flowers in spring. … Pulmonaria saccharata has attractive silver-green markings on the foliage and early spring blue and pink flowers.
What do you do with perennial plants in the winter?
Once your perennials start to lose their leaves, die back and go dormant, you can go ahead and cut them back in late fall or early winter. By cutting them back to 6‐8” above ground the stem will be able to hold snow in place which helps to insulate your plants.
How do you make lungwort tea?
Preparing Lungwort Tea In this context, Hildegard medicine recommended a warm cup of lungwort tea, made with a tablespoon of dried lungwort herb, combined with 8 ounces (250 ml) of boiling water, and allowed to steep for 10 minutes. This warm drink should be consumed three times per day.
Can I grow lungwort from seed?
Seeds should be sown at the start of spring; once sown lightly cover the seeds topsoil. Depending upon the species size they should be spaced from 15 to 45 cm apart. Lungwort can grow in fully and partially shaded areas of the garden and like a rich soil that moist and cool.