Lungwort

Pulmonaria officinalis

herb

Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) is a much-loved low perennial for shade, forming clumps of rough, oval leaves boldly spotted with silver-white, above which clusters of funnel-shaped flowers open pink and age to blue in early spring - often both colors at once on the same plant. Among the first flowers of the year, it is a vital early nectar source for bumblebees. The spotted leaves gave rise to its name, and the foliage is the part traditionally gathered. It is a hardy, easy, weed-suppressing groundcover for the damp, shady spots where many plants sulk.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Sweet Woodruff — A fellow shade groundcover that knits together with lungwort under trees and shrubs
• Sweet Violet — Shares the moist, shaded ground and flowers in the same early-spring window
• Meadow Rue — An airy shade perennial that rises above the low lungwort clumps

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Powdery mildew →

  The main issue, worst in dry soil - keep the ground moist, cut back affected leaves after bloom, and ensure airflow

• Slugs →

  May graze new leaves in the damp shade - use grit, traps, or hand-picking

🌾 Harvest & storage

Gather the leaves in spring and early summer while they are fresh and unblemished, before any midsummer mildew sets in, and dry them in a shaded, airy spot. The young leaves can also be used fresh. Cutting the clump back after flowering both refreshes the foliage and gives a clean second flush of leaves to pick.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Lungwort is grown mainly as a traditional herb and an ornamental rather than a food - the leaves were historically dried for tea, and the very young leaves are occasionally added to salads. Its standout garden value is as one of the earliest nectar plants for bumblebees and as a handsome, silver-spotted groundcover that lights up shade.