Queen of Hearts Brunnera - 72-Cell Plug Tray

Queen of Hearts is a shade perennial grown mostly for its leaves: broad, heart-shaped foliage washed almost entirely in silver, with a fine network of green veins showing through. It brightens dim corners under trees and along north-facing walls all season long.

In mid to late spring, airy sprays of tiny sky-blue flowers rise above the leaves, a lovely match for early bulbs and ferns. The clump reaches about 16 to 18 inches tall and spreads 2 to 3 feet, making it a good choice for massing, edging a woodland path or planting in a shaded container.

What it looks like

A broad, low mound of large heart-shaped leaves, each 5 to 7 inches across, covered in a bright metallic silver sheen with thin dark green veins and a narrow green rim. The leaves have a slightly quilted, matte texture and overlap to form a dense clump about 16 to 18 inches tall and up to 3 feet wide. In mid to late spring, branched wiry stems rise to about 2 feet and carry loose clusters of tiny five-petaled flowers, each about a quarter inch wide, in soft sky blue with a small white-yellow eye. At peak bloom the blue flowers float like a haze above the silver foliage.

Growing it with lavender

Brunnera wants shade and steady moisture, unlike lavender, so plant it in a cool, shaded bed under trees or on the north side of a building.

Care

Grow in part to full shade in average to rich soil that stays evenly moist; protect from hot afternoon sun, which can scorch the leaves. Hardy in zones 3-8. Trim off faded flower stems after bloom to keep the foliage looking tidy.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Brunnera macrophylla
• Flower color: Sky blue
• Foliage: Silver with dark green veins
• Growth habit: Broad, dense mound
• Mature size: 16–18 in tall × 28–36 in wide
• USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
• Light: part sun to part shade, full shade
• Bloom start: Early-May
• Peak bloom: Mid-May
• Bloom pattern: Single Flush
• Deer resistance: Resistant
• Pollinator value: Good

Sizes and shipping

One full 72-cell plug tray: 72 young starter plugs of this variety (cells about 1⅓ in. wide × 2½ in. deep), rooted and ready to pot up into quarts or gallons. Best for growers and nurseries. Potted plants and plug trays ship during our live-plant seasons, March 1–May 31 and October 1–November 30; June through September is local pickup only. Plugs, potted plants and trays do not ship to AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, UT or WA.