The Perennial Plant Association is a trade organization of growers and like-minded professionals who believe there is value in growing perennial plants in the home garden. PPA recently announced that Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ will be the 2012 Perennial Plant of the Year winner. Flower gardeners with shade, unfamiliar with its leaves and spring blooms, will like becoming acquainted with this ornamental foliage.
Introduced in 2000, Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ was discovered as a sport at Walter Gardens, a Michigan wholesale grower. The Brunnera genus is a native of Turkey and western Siberia, the plant is commonly called Siberian bugloss or heartleaf.
On the whole, this species of foliage plant and specifically the cultivar will thrive where some degree of shade exists, only will it tolerate full sun where summers are cool as the foliage will burn in too hot or too dry environments. Newer cultivars have proven to better withstand southern heat compared against older varieties.
Smaller Brunnera Jack Frost
Brunnera macrophylla is a perennial with a clumping habit, which spreads by rhizomatous roots. The collection of tiny blooms, reminding gardeners of spring forget-me-not flowers, suspends themselves above the heart-shaped leaves.
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ grows to12”- 18” tall x 20” wide. Each leaf appears with a frosty sheen overlaying a green veining pattern, characteristic of all its relatives to one degree or another. Plants will tolerant heat, where grown in moist well-draining, leaning toward alkaline, soils. Deer do not favor this perennial’s rough leaves.
For garden ideas in zones 3 – 8, Jack Frost may be worked into a design along a shady border or as a low mass of drifts in a woodland landscape. Eventually creating a ground cover, the cultivar is a less aggressive form than its species but still holds its own against the more familiar Hosta.
Perennial Companions for Jack Frost
In Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses, Adrian Bloom highlights many perennial companions. Bergeria seems a favorite. Contrasted to Brunnera, the fan-waving thick leaves of Berginia make an excellent backdrop; cultivars Eroica and Winter Glow illustrate the differences well.
The black strapping leaves from Ophiopogon planscapus ‘Nigrescens’ is an unexpected grass, but makes Brunnera pop. Bloom mentions Hakomechloa macra ‘Alboaurea’ which likes part shade but gardeners may also consider the 2009, Perennial Plant of the Year winner, Hakomechloa macra ‘Aureola.’
More Brunnera Choices Found
Beyond Jack Frost, a variety of Brunnera cultivars offers choices; brief vignettes relay the value to gardeners:
- B. ‘King’s Ransom,’ a smaller sport of the PPY winner, silvery heart-shape leaf ringed with creamy edging, flowers evolve from powdery blue to creamy white.
- B. ‘Hadspen Cream’ was raised by English plantsman, Eric Smith, at the Hadspen Garden; a green heart shaped irregular form within the pale yellow margins withstands part sun.
- B. ‘Diane’s Gold’ has proved to be a stable chartreuse; hardy as far north as Wisconsin. It was found in Madison by Steve Leach. The sky blue flower against bright yellow leaves in spring, foliage turns in summer and it holds golden fall color.
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ is worth growing in the garden for the spring blooming flowers and foliage lightening up a woodland space. Any of the Brunnera will add a wow factor to the flower garden.
Perennial Plant Association Winners
Although a trade organization not heard much from by gardeners the rest of the year, the list of Perennial Plant winners the association publicizes each January offers well-trialed perennials gardeners at home can count on. Out in garden centers, the winners each year are easily available and broadly speaking will thrive for years following the plant cultural information.
Sources:
Bloom, Adrian. Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses. Timber Press, 2012, Pages 15 and 100.
Permission received for all photos used in this article.
Chris Eirschele - Chris writes on plants grown and gardens explored; she is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
