Why Lungwort Should Be One of Your Spring Garden Staples
If you ever find yourself chasing a bumblebee through the early spring garden, there’s a good chance it’s making a beeline for Lungwort.
Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) has quietly become one of my absolute favourite perennials. And like so many of my favourite garden discoveries, this one came with a story. Years ago, my mother-in-law gifted me a clump of lungwort from her garden. I’ll be honest: I kept it at first because the name was hilarious. “Lungwort?” It sounded like something out of an old fairytale! Naturally, I had to find out why it was called that — and I wasn't disappointed.
Turns out, the plant’s speckled leaves reminded early herbalists of human lungs. In medieval Europe, the "Doctrine of Signatures" held that plants resembling certain body parts could be used to treat ailments of those parts. Because lungwort’s spotted leaves looked a bit like lungs, it was believed to have medicinal properties for respiratory illnesses. Thus, the name "lungwort" stuck.
But the reasons to plant lungwort go way beyond its charming history.
6 Reasons to Grow Lungwort in Your Garden
Early Season Pollinator Magnet: Lungwort is one of the first plants to bloom in spring, often while there’s still a chill in the air. Those bright pink, purple, and blue blooms are an essential early food source for bumblebees, native bees, and even butterflies.
Multicoloured Blooms on One Plant: One of the most delightful quirks of lungwort is that its flowers can change colour as they age. You’ll often see pink, violet, and bluish flowers blooming at the same time on the same plant — a built-in colour show!
Perfect for Shady Gardens: Finding beautiful plants for shady spots can be tricky. Lungwort thrives in partial to full shade, making it ideal for the north or east side of homes, under trees, or anywhere else sun-shy.
Low Maintenance and Tough: Once established, lungwort asks for very little. It prefers rich soil and consistent moisture but can tolerate dry spells once mature. Its thick, slightly fuzzy leaves also make it deer and rabbit resistant — a huge win if you garden in critter country.
Naturalizes Beautifully: Lungwort spreads gently by clumping over time, meaning you can divide and replant patches throughout your garden. I now have it flourishing in both my front and backyard gardens, creating soft carpets of green and purple in early spring.
Adds Four-Season Interest: While the flowers steal the show in spring, the spotted or silvery leaves of lungwort provide great texture for the rest of the growing season. They look good even after the blooms fade, pairing nicely with ferns, hostas, and other shade plants.
Growing Tips for Lungwort
Light: Prefers part shade to full shade.
Soil: Likes rich, well-draining soil. Amending with compost helps.
Water: Needs consistent moisture during the first season. After that, it's fairly drought-tolerant.
Maintenance: After flowering, cut back any scruffy or spent leaves to encourage fresh new growth. Divide clumps every 3–4 years to rejuvenate the plants and spread the joy.
Companion Plants: Looks fantastic with spring bulbs like muscari and miniature daffodils, as well as with hostas, ferns, and bleeding hearts.
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Last year, I added a new raspberry-toned cultivar of lungwort to my collection, and it’s bringing an even richer colour palette to my shady beds. There are many gorgeous varieties out there, from silvery-leaved types to those with deep blue blooms.
And every spring now, one of my favourite rituals is watching my lungwort slowly unfurl from the soil — and spotting the first fuzzy bumblebee of the season having a little feast. It’s a small but perfect reminder that gardening isn’t just about pretty flowers — it’s about building an ecosystem that supports life, beauty, and joy.
If you’ve never planted lungwort before, maybe this is your year! Trust me — both you and the bees will be glad you did.
