Leaf type: Heart-shaped (basal leaves), pointed ovate to oval (stem leaves)
Phyllotaxis: Alternate (stem leaves), whorled (basal leaves)
Colour: Green, green-silvery
Life cycle: Perennial
Leaf (upper side)
Habitus & biology
The flowering shoots of Brunnera macrophylla can be up to 50 centimetres tall. They appear in spring before the basal leaves.
The heart-shaped basal leaves grow up to 30 centimetres long. The pointed or egg-shaped stem leaves remain significantly smaller.
Some cultivars are available with silver, silvery-marbled, silvery-spotted and white-green variegated leaves.
Distribution & habitates
The native range is in the Caucasus and Turkey. Brunnera macrophylla is also found in other regions as an introduced species (source).
In the garden, partially sunny to semi-shady locations with evenly moist and humus-rich soil are ideal. It does not tolerate heat in combination with porous, dry soil.
Botany
Brunnera macrophylla is known as Siberian bugloss, largeleaf brunnera, great forget-me-not or heartleaf and belongs to the family Boraginaceae.
