Perennial of the Month-- April 2007 

(pull-mo-NAIR-ee-ah  ) (pronunciation at link, turn up volume if too low)

Common name: Coral Springs lungwort

Family: Boraginaceae, Borage

Height x width: 12" x 12-24"

Growth rate, habit: moderate, slow spreading, mounded

Foliage: broadly lanceolate (lance-shaped), dark green speckled with silver irregularly-shaped spots

Flowers: coral pink terminal clusters (cymes) from purplish pink buds, somewhat drooping, early spring

Hardiness: USDA zones 3-8

Soil: regularly moist to medium wet, but well-drained

Light: part to full shade, tolerates more sun in north if sufficient soil moisture

Pests and problems: none significant

Landscape habit, uses: woodland borders massed, or in front; shaded rock gardens; combines well with foamflowers, pink astilbe, coralbells, ferns

Other interest: similar to 'Roy Davidson' except flowers are pink not blue; introduced from Terra Nova nurseries in 1997; common name from ancient belief leaves resembled lung disease so were a cure for it; sometimes mistakenly listed under species longifolia

Other culture: "deleaf" or remove lower leaves by hand when dead in early spring or late summer; keep moist in dry weather

Propagation: divide in spring if needed

Sources: specialty perennial nurseries local, mail order, and online, and complete garden centers