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Add Color To Your Shady Lawn With This No-Mow Alternative
By LINDSAY DONALDSON
Apart from being used as a remedy for lung ailments centuries ago, lungwort with its spotted, heart-shaped leaves and flowers that change color over time will beautify your yard.
Forgo a lawn for this no-mow ground cover that loves shade. Plant lungwort under trees for a lush carpet with blooms in early spring and then leaves that steal the limelight.
If color-morphing weren't enough, lungwort flowers bloom on one plant at different times in blue, pink, white, and purple, resulting in staggered color-changing for the blossoms.
Lungwort is cold-tolerant and grows well in zones 3 to 8 but can’t handle drought. It’s also deer- and rabbit-resistant and attracts few pests, but it’s a lure for hummingbirds.
This plant loves soil rich in organic matter, but if yours isn’t, add compost or aged manure. When there’s little rain, water it every week or week and a half up to 12 inches deep.
Lungwort can grow as tall as 9 to 18 inches and up to 32 inches wide, and you can divide the plants in the fall. Now, just sit back and enjoy its pretty blooms and lush greenery.