Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Sterling Silver Brunnera: Silver Hearts for the Shady Side
Save
Sterling Silver brunnera is grown for its leaves: extra-large, heart-shaped and almost completely silver, with only a faint green tint along the veins and edges. Individual leaves can reach 7 to 8 inches wide, layered into a low cushion about 10 to 14 inches tall and roughly two feet across.
In mid spring, thin stems lift loose sprays of tiny sky blue flowers above the foliage, so the plant looks like a silver pillow dusted with blue haze.
Sterling Silver at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Brunnera macrophylla 'Sterling Silver' |
| Foliage | Silver with faint green veins, leaves 7 to 8 inches wide |
| Flowers | Tiny sky blue sprays, about 1/4 inch each |
| Size | 10 to 14 inches tall, about 20 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks mid-May, about four weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 8 |
| Light | Part to full shade |
| Deer | Resistant |
An honest note about lavender
Lavender wants full sun, dry roots and lean soil. Sterling Silver wants shade and steady moisture. Plant them in the same bed and one of them will be miserable, and it is usually the lavender. So think of this brunnera as a companion for the other half of the property: the shady side of the same garden plan.
The connection is color. If your sunny beds are full of silver-gray lavender foliage, Sterling Silver carries that cool, silvery tone into the shade, which makes a yard feel planned rather than pieced together. It also blooms in May, weeks before lavender, so the blue season starts in the shade and moves to the sun. Lay out both areas in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Light: part to full shade. It was bred to handle heat better than older silver brunneras, but still keep it out of hot afternoon sun.
- Soil: average to fertile and evenly moist, especially in summer. Water during dry spells to keep the leaves looking their best.
- After bloom: remove spent flower stems.
- Watering tip: water at the base and avoid overhead watering late in the day, which helps limit bacterial leaf spot in hot, humid weather.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan. Trim tattered leaves in late fall or early spring and keep the soil from staying waterlogged.
Slugs and aphids are the usual pests. Check under the big leaves after a rainy week; slugs appreciate the shade as much as the plant does.
Where it shines
Use it as an edging along a shady path, in groups as a groundcover, or as a bright accent in a shaded pot by the door. It pairs well with hostas and ferns in a woodland bed.
Plug tray sizes
Sterling Silver is offered in 72-cell and 20-cell plug trays. See each product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Can it take any sun?
Morning sun is fine if the soil stays moist. Hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves.
Is it edible?
No. It is an ornamental and not grown for eating.
Share how it went in your field