Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Welcome to the inaugural plant profile post. I want to make this blog a helpful resource, and I thought profiling some plants might be a way to do just that. I know there are a number of sources of plant information on the web, but I've never found one that gave me all the information for which I've been looking. The plant profiles on Instrument of Grace will feature all the kinds of information I want to see, and if there's something missing, please add a comment and let me know what else I can provide to help you.

I have to blame Garden Rant for my love affair with Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost.' About a year ago, there was a post about Brunnera. I have a lot of both wet and dry shade, and Brunnera was perfect for shade. It also was drop-dead gorgeous, and I had to have some. But the cost . . . .  Yes, Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' is expensive. I found it at a local garden center for $18.99 for a tiny plant. The price was the same at Dutch Gardens online. Even though they are not my preferred online plant source, when Dutch Gardens had their summer clearance, I snapped up three for 8.99 each. That's a bargain, in my opinion. I agree with Michele of Garden Rant that the price is too high, but I'm really glad I bought these plants.

A group of three Jack Frost Brunnera is pictured at left. While the general rule for perennials is "first year sleep, second year creep, third year leap," I found Jack Frost to be a bit precocious. I'd have to say it was "first year creep, second year leap" for my plants which are planted in almost full shade in only slightly improved, heavy clay soil.

The first year, some of the plants appeared to rot a bit, and I was afraid I'd lost them, but they almost leaped out of the ground this spring. They've put on quite a long-running flower show, even though our spring has been wet and quite cool. I'm not sure if the cool spring delayed flowering, so I'll have to see when they start blooming next year.

Here's a comparison between three plants planted this spring, on the left, and three planted last spring, peeking out from Nandina on the right. You can see a huge difference in the sizes of their leaves, and the newer plants are less than half the size of the year old ones.

Plant specifications:

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Herbaceous perennial

Zones: 3-8

Sun:  Part shade to almost total shade

Size:  12-18 inches in height and spread, flowers extend above foliage

Moisture requirements:  Medium to low but will tolerate heavy, somewhat damp soil. Some gardeners have had good success with dry shade but others have not. Tolerates a variety of soil conditions from somewhat alkaline through neutral to acidic.

Maintenance:  Low

Foliage:  Heart shaped leaves, light green with heavy silver overlay, veining in green. The leaves are small before the plant blooms. Once blooming is complete, the leaves get much larger, almost making it look like a different plant. In the photo below, you can see both the smaller leaves and the oncoming larger ones.

Blooms:  Mid April to early May (in the Mid-Atlantic, somewhat later bloom time as you go North and earlier as you go South)

Flowers:  Blue, very true blue in clusters of small flowers held above the foliage

Propagation:  Reportedly easy to divide, but I have not yet tried it.

Pros:  Deer and rabbit resistant and somewhat slug resistant, establishes quickly, tolerates a wide variety of climates and conditions, has true-blue flowers and provides foliage interest all season

Cons:  Patented plant variety (PPAF) so asexual propagation is prohibited; won't take foot traffic (but who would want to walk on it?)

The photo above shows the heart-shaped leaves with their lovely silver overlay and green veining.

 

This photo shows the intense blue of the flowers and how they are carried in clusters.

I give Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' two enthusiastic green thumbs up, and I'll be adding more to my garden. I'd love to know about your experiences with this plant.

Comments

[Sylvia (England)]

Kim, I love Jack Frost as well. I would add to what you have said that it is easy to split and I now have lots of plants from my one plant.

What I want to know from plant profiles is how a plant behaves 'the rest of the year', information rarely given. For example Jack is unusual in it starts early in spring with small leaves, the flowers (like forget-me-nots) are quite tall above the leaves. Once the flowers are over (I cut them off at this point) the leaves get larger and it looks like a different plant. It is now great groundcover and the leaves last well into autumn before I cut them off over the winter ready for the new tiny leaves in spring.

I grow it will all sorts of other plants, it looks lovely with tulips and other spring bulbs. It provides a lovely silver sparkle to shady areas during the summer, looks lovely with ferns or hostas. I am sure I will find other plants to complement it this year.

The leaves are rough, like Pulmonaria and until this week I would have said slug/snail proof but some small plants in the nursery bed have been eaten!

Sorry I got carried away but I do love this plant and find it has so much to offer. I grow other Brunnera but Jack Frost is my favourite - so far!

Best wishes Sylvia (England)

[Frances]

Hi Kim, I love your plant profile idea and do some on occasion on my blog too. There can never be too much plant info! I look at the guy often at the nursery but the price stops me every time. That and the fact of no moist shade at all. Why spend so much for sure failure? I did have some regular green leaf brunneras that perished so that is not a good sign. Yours look lovely and I will admire them in your garden. :-)
Frances

[Heather]

I fell in love with Brunnera (all kinds) when I visited the Denver Botanic Gardens in May. Talk about mass plantings!! I finally was able to snag 'Jack Frost' this spring and I missed the blooms because the company sent it after blooming time. I cannot wait until this love takes off!! For now, I'll visit your page and admire yours. :)

[Erin]

It's beautiful. I just added a Jack Frost this year, so not much happening there yet, but I'm happy to read yours took off in the second year. I am also adding some Brunnera Looking Glass which I find equally as stunning.