Twinkle Toes Lungwort

Size

This beautiful low mounding perennial will feel right at home amongst the hellebores, hosta and other shade loving spring to summer blooming perennials in your shade garden. Light periwinkle blue bell shaped flowers burst open from clusters of pink to violet flower buds held above dark green leaves with silver speckling, creating a bright spot of color for your spring garden. Bees and butterflies will be frequent visitors to your garden when you plant Twinkle Toes Lungwort this spring. Native to Europe and Western Asia, Lungwort has been cultivated from several wild species over the years and tends to be an underused perennial ground cover that deserves more attention from shade gardeners. Hardy in Zones 3 to 9, this moisture loving perennial reminds one of forget-me-nots with its coloration and growth pattern. It does, however, need a well draining soil, in contrast to the aforementioned spring wildflower. Deer and rabbits do not tend to browse on Lungwort, making this a great woodland garden inhabitant. Twinkle Toes Lungwort Phlox Care Categorized as an easy care perennial, Twinkle Toes will appreciate a few considerations from you at the time of planting, then will require little intervention from there. Moist, well drained, rich organic soil will result in the best flowering and lush foliage. Mulch to retain soil moisture. Preferring an 5.5 to 6.2 pH range, slightly acidic, it will tolerate a wider pH range, even alkaline. Amending soil with a well rotted leaf material should give you the proper nutrients and pH range for optimal growth. Water when natural rainfall is not adequate, keeping the soil consistently moist and water in the morning to give foliage a chance to dry out before nightfall. Consider watering from the ground level rather than from above to reduce moisture levels on the foliage and help prevent plant diseases. Flowering is best when in full shade. Sun can damage the foliage as can dry conditions. Deadheading is not needed, but a quick shear after flowers have faded may result in a rebloom a little later. Pruning is generally not needed, but if there are any diseased or damaged stalks, remove them to the ground and dispose of them immediately. If powdery mildew sets in, clip the entire plant to the ground and it will return. If the plant opens up in the center, prune them down to the ground as well and you will get new fresh growth to replace it. Twinkle Toes Lungwort Spacing Spacing is important any time you have a moisture loving perennial in a shade location. Space plants out about 16 to 18 inches apart to give good air circulation and to give room to grow. Lungwort spreads on rhizomes beneath the soil level. Growing to 14 inches tall and spreading out 18 inches wide when mature, this plant makes a great companion to other shade loving perennials. Whether you grow these to give great color once your hellebores stop blooming for the year, as a companion to hostas, or mass them out for drifts of spring color, you are going to appreciate the fresh foliage and light blue flowers of Twinkle Toes Lungwort in your garden this spring. They also make lovely cut flowers for indoor floral arrangements.