# Lungwort (*Pulmonaria officinalis*) Lungwort is a lovely plant with colorful flowers that can be pink, blue, or purple! It grows in shady places and is great for gardens. Its leaves are spotted, making it look very special. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Common Lungwort, Mary's Tears ![Lungwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pulmonaria_officinalis_800.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pulmonaria_officinalis_800.jpg) ## Appearance The Lungwort has distinctive dark green leaves often speckled with silvery-white spots, resembling lung tissue. Its bell-shaped flowers are unique, opening pink or red and gradually shifting to vibrant blue or purple as they mature. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Boraginales - **Family:** Boraginaceae - **Genus:** Pulmonaria ## Interesting facts - Ancient doctors thought its spotted leaves resembled lungs, using it for breathing issues! - Its early spring flowers are a vital first meal for hungry queen bumblebees! - Lungwort's fuzzy leaves and stems help protect it from thirsty garden slugs. - The tiny hairs on its leaves are like miniature umbrellas, helping shed water! ## Special abilities - **Color-Shifting Blooms:** Lungwort can change its flower color from pink to blue, signalling which flowers are fresh for pollinators! - **Spotty Camouflage:** Lungwort has silvery spots on its leaves that might help it blend into dappled light, hiding from plant-eaters. - **Early Bloomer:** Lungwort can bloom early, offering first meals for waking insects when few other flowers are available. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-30 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — collects nectar and pollen from its early blooms - **Pollinates:** European Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen, especially in spring - **Eats:** Large Red Slug (*Arion rufus*) — may munch on its leaves in damp conditions ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lungwort? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Lungwort? 15-30 cm ### How wide does Lungwort spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Lungwort? 1-2 cm ### When does Lungwort bloom? Early spring ### Is Lungwort edible? Yes ### Is Lungwort toxic? None ### What is Lungwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dubuque-arboretum-and-botanical-gardens) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden - [Greendale Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greendale-historic-district) — Wisconsin, US · Historic District - [Naturpark Dübener Heide](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-dubener-heide) — Sachsen; Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Park - [Historischer Kurpark Bad Homburg](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/historischer-kurpark-bad-homburg) — Hessen, DE · Park [View all places to see Lungwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lungwort) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Lungwort: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lungwort)