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lily603

brunnera

lily603
10 years ago

after blooming in may brunnera leaves turn black. I assumed it meant the end of their seasonal cycle. now I wonder if it is a fungus that repeats year after year and, if so, can it infect other plants nearby. this year june 2013 I have removed most of the plant and put out in trash.my question is - is this normal for the end of their season or should I assume infection and remove altogether. i'm getting to the point where is a plant presents an ongoing problem with pest/disease I get rid of it.

Comments (12)

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    10 years ago

    Brunnera should stay healthy right up until frost cuts it down in the fall. What conditions is yours in? I have had one that is in a very dry location and too much sun sometimes get particularly ratty-looking, so it appears drought and sun-stress can leave them vulnerable. Could that be the case for you? If so, try moving it to a shadier location.

  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    10 years ago

    Ditto above, especially re: dry locations. They toast in dry soil.

  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    10 years ago

    Ditto above, especially re: dry locations. They toast in dry soil.

  • lily603
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks for quick response...they are all in shade and moist conditions. I thought of hot/dry also and ruled that out.

  • woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
    10 years ago

    Could the problem be too much moisture? I actually grow mine in relatively dry conditions - I think they are native to relatively dry woodland environments. The one that gets ratty sometimes is in VERY dry soil under a roof overhang and gets some afternoon sun too. I think they need a sort of happy medium...

  • gardenweed_z6a
    10 years ago

    My own Brunnera 'Jack Frost' displays the blackened leaves each year after blooming which is sufficiently discouraging & made me question its placement in my full shade bed. If it's a trait they intend to display year after year, I'll happily replace them with something that puts on a more appealing show and, after the fact, attribute the cost to an expensive mistake. I bought only one plant but divided it a few years after it was established. Following its early season splendor & delicate blooms, it hasn't improved on longer acquaintance.

    I have it growing on the north side of my house where it gets whatever moisture Mother Nature doles out, either wet or dry, in Spring. After more than a half-dozen years, this hasn't appeared to either improve or diminish its disappointing performance.

    Given the availability of so many other shade perennials that perform as my standards demand, such as hellebores, Jacob's ladder, hosta, Heuchera/coral bells, discarding them will be a sacrifice of only the cost of the original plants.

  • rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
    10 years ago

    My "Jack Frost" looks good all season whereas my "Kings Ransom" always gets browned curled edges on the leaves.

  • laceyvail 6A, WV
    10 years ago

    I have the straight species in a couple of places, 'Langtrees', and 'Jack Frost'. Only 'Jack Frost' turns black, and it did it in a dry area and in a moist, but not too moist area.

  • simcan
    10 years ago

    With Brunnera, as with Pulmonaria, I cut the plants back after flowering which spurs a flush of new, healthy growth that lasts the rest of the season. You may want to try this.

  • Kat SE Wisconsin z5
    10 years ago

    I have 'Jack Frost' and I get some black leaves too. I've noticed that if it gets too dry, it affects more of them, so I really try to keep the soil from drying out.
    Simcan, I'm going to try that this year. I never heard of that, but I'll give it a try. I'll still make sure it's watered well though.

    Kat

  • marquest
    10 years ago

    I have never seen this plant showing any blackened leaves. I have it in my very dark shade hosta garden. It actually reseeds and I have had to remove the babies to other areas. In 5 years I have 5 new huge plants.

  • simcan
    10 years ago

    @katusha, yes, I do this with several plants and it works very well...Brunnera, Pulmonaria, Lady's Mantle, Bachelor's Buttons, Husker's Red Penstemon, variegated Symphytum, to name only a few off the top of my head. Keeps things fresh-looking and healthy, as many spring flowering plants can look ratty after bloom. Sometimes I wait until the plant splays, showing the basal growth coming up and sometimes I just shear it right to the ground. I have never lost a plant this way.