I'm coming to despise them. Whenever they start to look good and fill in, the edges turn brown and ratty. I hear it's because of foliar nematodes and they are quite susceptible to them. I'm about to throw mine all away. Besides, some critter out there in my yard keeps making a snack of the leaves and they don't grow as big anymore and are fading away anyhow.

Karen

Mine are doing fine - I hope I never have the problems you are having with them Karen. I have 'Langtrees', 'Jack Frost' and 'Silver Wings'. Silver Wings doesn't seem to seed around as much as the other two. I remove most Langtrees seedlings and Jack Frost seedlings that don't have good silver color. I keep the best-looking ones to add to areas where I want more silver to light up shade. All mine are growing in reasonably dry shade. I suspect they would not do well in sun- the foliage would likely burn.

I like how Jack Frost stands out and sort of glows against other plants. You can see that it immediately dravs your eyes - this view is looking down on part of the backyard from the living room window. One of the first things your eyes are drawn to is the clump of Jack Frost on the right, at the edge of the pine canopy, marking the junction of the path under the pines with the path bordering the lawn. The Silver Wings is on the left behind the log edging the lawn. It's not as showy as Jack Frost.
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Steelskies, you will have many more no matter if you want or not if you don't cut the spent flowers. Dawson's White is spectacular in shaded and wind-free places, so is Looking Glass. I had them for several years until the previous winter, when both died(probably because of drowning), I will probably try them again.

I've tried these here and they will not grow. Most die before the end of summer. I think they like it in very cold zones. They just can't take heat. I can't believe they chose these as Perennial of the Year when they don't grow well for so many. Once the leaves start turning brown, there is nothing you can do. I have one right now in a new location. If it doesn't grow there, I will just chalk it up as another lesson learned.

Not sure about the heat, but I know brunnera WILL NOT tolerate dry soil. But yea, I wonder about these "perennial of the year" choices - the winner that utterly bewilders me is veronica "Sunny Border Blue"...

I find it odd that everyone is saying they won't grow in dry soil. Mine do fine in dry soil; most had some supplemental water in the year they were planted but were on their own after that. Seedling ones never get any moisture other than what rain provides. This 'Jack Frost' grows under the roof overhang so doesn't get much rain at all:
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Perhaps it's our relatively cool climate, but I find them tough as nails and have never had one fail.

I do not understand why they are expensive. I love Jack Frost the only one I have but I have a lot of shade and I only use it in the shade. I have never had brown leaves maybe because I have deep shade.

From one little one I picked up at a local nursery 4 years ago I have several clumps in all my shade gardens. I have to divide one this Spring because it is taking over one of my favorite hostas but I do not think you can beat this plant for your shade garden.

This is it last year in August
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I think it needs Zone 5 or below. Everyone who says it grows well seems to be in those zones.

I'm in zone 6a and the plain old green-leafed Brunnera macrophylla does beautifully (I've had plants in bloom for about the last month and they're still going strong).

I started with one plant about 8 years ago and currently have a dozen or so in my partly shady front beds (all from reseeding). It's a carefree plant here and probably my favorite perennial (can't beat that blue).

Marquest: that is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL picture you posted. I can only hope.............

Can you divide brunnera?

Thank you steelskies. You will get there have no doubts. I purchased this property 3 years ago the area was blank and a few weeds.

It went from this

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to this in 2 years.

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Steelskies, yes, you can divide Brunnera.

I love Brunnera. I have 'Jack Frost', 'Looking Glass', 'Diane's Gold' and the plain green one. I had a variegated one with white but it reverted. They do very well here with little care.

I have one 'Jack Frost' and 4 'King's Ransom' (a sport of 'Jack Frost'). But I actually think I like the colouring of JF better.

I love brunnera. I've had the straight green one for years, and it seeds around nicely. I finally put in 'Jack Frost' after years of proclaiming I preferred silver pulmonary to silver brunnera. Great plants, all. I find it tolerates my dry, sandy shade in what I consider to be 6a, though it can tend to go dormant a little early if it's unhappy. Otherwise, they seem bulletproof.

I did buy one of several different kinds. the only one not blooming if the Jack Frost. Is this typical?

WHY is brunnera so expensive???? Has anyone had luck growing it from seed???

Maybe the propagators experience high mortality rates like many of the rest of us.

I've noticed that most shade plants are rather expensive. I've always wondered about that as well.

Deanna

The prices are similar to all the other tissue culture plants here in Europe. In Austria they are cheaper than Echinaceas(below 5 Euros), in Germany around 5-6-7 Euros, depending on variety. The straight species you can get practically for free (very cheap)

tepelus wrote: Whenever they start to look good and fill in, the edges turn brown and ratty

I have several of "King's Ransom" and "Jack Frost" and w/o fail the KR does get that way in August but my JF look just fine the whole season. Both varieties are grown under quite similar circumstances in my garden.

I wish I hadn't purchased any of the KR.

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Thanks for the KR heads up. I had plans of buying it because it seems to be one of the plants the deer in my area do not care to eat.

The good news is that they are starting to show up in Lowe's--that usually means they're getting a bit cheaper. I think newer varieties of stuff always start out expensive--I remember when Salvia May Night and East Friesland first became available--they were crazy expensive. Now they are everywhere and kind of generic, price-wise.

I like Jack Frost--it lights up my dark bed. They ARE looking like something has gotten to them this week. They had been looking good all summer.

All mine do beautifully and self-seed shamelessly throughout the gardens.
Why are they so expensive? Because growing plants is an expensive proposition.
The first variegated Brunnera I ever bought (12 years ago at $32.00) is still alive. That works out to less than $3.00 per year. I have bought many more since then, and the average price for a new, variegated brunnera is now about $15.00.
I will submit than anytime you go out to lunch at a restaurant, or treat yourself to a movie and popcorn, you have spent more than you would have for a new, fancy, well-grown brunnera.

Like Brunnera an use it extensively.

We have clay soil, upgraded with organic matter, and water as needed.

I stopped using the species Brunnera macrophylla because it seeds around way too much. Found ' 'Langtrees' does seed a bit, but not much.

Have used (and divided) Jack Frost a lot. Great plant.

Have had 'King's Ransom' and 'Dawson's White' for several years. No problems.
I read that you can't divide 'Dawson's White' (nice plant) and have it grow true.

Find Brunnera does well shaded by the tall perennials in summer.
Clear out spent plant material in fall, so light gets down to the low spring plants.