Brunnera Macrophylla Jack Frost – How to Planting and Caring

How to Planting and Care for a Brunnera Macrophylla Jack Frost

How to Care for a Brunnera Macrophylla

Handsome and undemanding, Brunnera macrophylla jack frost (syn. Anchusa myosotidiflora) bears sprays of azure blue or white flowers from early spring to late May. This well-behaved, versatile perennial thrives in moist, humusy soils and under and around shrubs.

The silver- or white-accented heart-shaped leaves of many new cultivars brighten woodland shadows. Unlike older varieties, which are prone to leaf scorching, newer ones, such as ‘Jack Frost’, can tolerate direct sun in the morning or late afternoon.

Originally classified as Anchusa, perennial brunnera plant – also known as false, perennial or great forget-me-not-is also unflatteringly called Siberian bugloss, a name that comes from the Greek words for ox’s tongue, referring to its oval-shaped, rough-textured leaf. The plant was first collected during the Caucasian Expedition of Russian Count Apollos Mussin-Pushkin in 1800. Zones 2 to 3.

Care of Brunnera Macrophylla checklist

• Brunnera macrophylla Jack frost is happiest in a shady, cool, consistently moist woodland setting; avoid hot, dry conditions
• Prefers well-drained, rich, humusy soil; tolerates other soils if it’s kept cool and moist
• Generally well-behaved but may self-seed; propagate mature plants every five to 10 years by root division in the fall; newer cultivars with fancy silver foliage are challenging to propagate

Perfect Partners for Brunnera Macrophylla

The versatile Brunnera macrophylla Plant complements a host of shade-loving perennials.

Brunnera macrophylla jack frost has many uses and combines well with other shade-loving plants. Its shimmery silver foliage looks attractive reflected in a still pond and brightens any gloomy spot, even beneath hemlock. Along the edge of a border or woodland stream, brunnera plant is a good accent plant; used en masse it makes an ideal groundcover.

It’s also spectacular when placed in front of larger perennials such as the ‘Krossa Regal’ hosta, as it retains its colorful foliage, even after the first frosts have turned the hosta leaves to mush. In the mildest Canadian climates, some Brunnera macrophylla keep their evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage throughout the winter

Hart’s Tongue Fern

• (Asplenium scolopendrium syn. Phyllitis scolopendrium)
• HEIGHT 30 to 40 cm
• SPREAD 30 to 45 cm
• DESCRIPTION wide, leathery green, strap-shaped fronds; clump-forming, slow-growing
• DESIGN ADVANTAGE its sturdy, luxuriant, shiny, dark green fronds contrast well with the softer heart-shaped leaves of Brunnera jack frost Zone 4

‘Merlin’ Purple Barrenwort

• (Epimedium x youngianum ‘Merlin’)
• HEIGHT 20 to 30 cm
• SPREAD 30 to 45 cm
• DESCRIPTION semi-evergreen; new foliage flushed with bronze; bushy, clump-forming, slow-growing, long-lived
• DESIGN ADVANTAGE delicate sprays of dusky mauve flowers bloom at the same time as Brunnera macrophylla in mid-to-late spring; excellent edger or groundcover Zone 4

‘Iron Butterfly’ Foamflower

• (Tiarella ‘Iron Butterfly’)
• HEIGHT 20 to 40 cm
• SPREAD 25 to 30 cm
• DESCRIPTION clump-forming hybrid with deeply cut, dark green leaves with attractive black markings; small, bottle-brush, white flowers held atop wiry stems
• DESIGN ADVANTAGE its darkly accented cut-leaf foliage makes a handsome counterpoint to the silvery markings of many Brunnera macrophylla jack frost cultivars Zone 4

‘Miyazaki’ Japanese Toad Lily

• (Tricyrtis hirta ‘Miyazaki’)
• HEIGHT & SPREAD 45 to 60 cm
• DESCRIPTION small, unusual, orchid-like, purple-blotched white flowers in late summer and early fall; clump-forming.
• DESIGN ADVANTAGE this upright late-bloomer complements the low-mounding, spring-flowering brunnera; plant where its flowers can be seen up close to Zone 4.

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Brunnera Macrophylla Jack frost Plant Varieties

Betty Bowring

• Name: BRUNNERA MACROPHYLLA ‘Betty Bowring’ (syn. ‘Alba’) ZONE 3
• Height x Width: 45 to 60 cm x 60 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade
• Description: Small white flowers; dark green foliage
• Comments: Dark foliage makes it more sun-tolerant than other cultivars

DAWSON’S WHITE

• Name: ‘DAWSON’S WHITE’ ZONE 2
• Height x Width: 30 to 40 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade
• Description: Azure blue flowers; variable white variegated foliage with creamy-white margins
• Comments: Prune out plain green reversions; slow-growing; resistant to foliage browning

HADSPEN CREAM

• Name: ‘HADSPEN CREAM’ ZONE 2
• Height x Width: 30 to 40 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade; protect from direct sun
• Description: Bright blue flowers; dark green foliage with broad cream to yellow margins
• Comments: Foliage remains attractive all season; slug-resistant

JACK FROST

• Name: ‘JACK FROST’ ZONE 2
• Height x Width: 30 to 45 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade; tolerates some direct sun
• Description: Blue flowers; frosted foliage with silvery overlay and greenish veins have a crackly look
• Comments: Provide evenly moist soil to optimize the wow factor

LANG TREES

• Name: ‘LANG TREES’ (syn. ‘Aluminum Spot’) ZONE 2
• Height x Width: 30 to 45 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade; protect from the direct, midday sun
• Description: Tiny blue forget-me-not blooms; emerald green foliage mottled with silver-grey; markings more subtle than other cultivars
• Comments: None

LOOKING GLASS

• Name: ‘LOOKING GLASS’ ZONE 3
• Height x Width: 30 to 40 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade
• Description: Bright blue flowers; silver-frosted, heart-shaped leaves
• Comments: Sport of ‘Jack Frost’; a silver jewel for shade

SILVER WINGS

• Name: ‘SILVER WINGS’ ZONE 3
• Height x Width: 30 to 45 cm x 30 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade
• Description: Tiny masses of blue flowers; marbled foliage with a wispy, silvery overlay
• Comments: Sport of ‘Langtrees’

VARIEGATA

• Name: ‘VARIEGATA’ ZONE 2
• Height x Width: 35 to 45 cm x 35 to 45 cm
• Exposure: Part to full shade
• Description: Bright blue blooms; wide, irregular, creamy white margins on grey-green leaves
• Comments: Protect from wind and drought to avoid foliage browning; remove green reversions.