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Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' and 'Variegata' |
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| Common name |
false forget-me-not |
| Family |
boraginaceae |
| Life cycle |
perennial |
| Flowers |
blue (April-May) |
| Size |
12" |
| Light |
part-full shade |
'Jack Frost' has handsomely silvered leaves on this cultivar, with lots of pastel-blue flowers in mid-spring. I got it one spring at the HPS/MAG plant sale, and was impressed with its leaves. When it got to the stage of the photo above, I was a little disappointed, even as pretty as the leaves and flowers were - I remembered the foliage being more impressive. But sure enough, just as the flowers were fading, the plant started producing the much larger leaves I recalled. More recently, we acquired a variety simply named 'Variegata', which has quite a different look – perhaps not as refined as Jack Frost, but very nice in its own way.
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| | By mid-August, the leaves are a bit tattered, but the plant still has great presence |
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| | 'Variegata' |
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| | Like 'Jack Frost', 'Variegata' develops large leaves after flowering. |
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We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston. One or more images of this plant are included in my stock photo catalog About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' and 'Variegata'
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Mary Beth | Apr 29, 2006 | Rob, all your photos are so great. Note of caution on this plant - in my experience it will not tolerate drought. Beware of planting in shade created by shallow-rooted trees like maples. |
| Sarah Pasch | Sep 25, 2006 | I most especially appreciate your honest opinion about the plants you feature. Your site is the one place I can go online for plant information where I don't have to translate glowing reports (e.g. "rare - underutilized" meaning most gardeners don't want it), over-saturated photo colors, or botonical accuracy (e.g. "arching branches" means it can't stand up outside a cage). Thank you for your contribution to internet intelligence. |
| Alison | Apr 23, 2009 | Hi - I have a Jack Frost Brunerra right outside my back door and I love it. It's about 3 years old. Do you have any experience with trying to divide this plant? I'd love to move it around the garden...but don't want to kill it by trying to divide it.
Jack Frost can be divided. It's not nearly as aggressive a grower as the plain species, so don't count on having a garden full of them any time soon! I'd divide as soon as possible, before hot weather arrives. |
| Janice | Aug 15, 2009 | Hi - I really like the look of this plant. Would it be okay under dry shade cast by an acer? Roughly what size will this plant grow to?
I don't think brunnera likes it too dry. It would probably not look its best in that position. Sure is a nice plant, though. It grows perhaps a foot tall and wide in our garden, but it's crammed in between other plants, and would likely expand a bit more otherwise. |
| Amber | Jun 10, 2010 | Hi! I was just wondering, what's the plant with the pretty little pink flowers on it next to the Jack Frost? You can see them pretty well in the last photo with the caption that starts "by mid-August." Thanks!
Hmm, I'm amazed you picked them out from that photo! I had to go back to the full-resolution photo to figure out that they are Geranium wallichianum 'Buxton's Variety'. They are actually more of a violet-blue color, but my old camera made them look pinkish. |
| Jeri Kanzler | Oct 11, 2010 | I have 3 jack frost brunnera which I love and I want to plant more. Are they bulb perennials? If yes, can the bulbs be planted in fall for spring blomming? Thanks!
These perennials do not grow from bulbs. That actually makes it easier for you to get more: you can divide them (early spring is a good time) to increase their numbers. |
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Last modified:
May 26, 2011
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