Alexandria Brunnera

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

1-2 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

4 to 8

Alexandria Brunnera, Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexandria’, is the perfect plant to brighten up the darkest spot in your garden. The perfectly heart-shaped leaves are an ethereal silvery white contrasting nicely with other bold leaf shapes and colors. Hellebores, Hostas, and Astilbes are all natural partners for this herbaceous perennial. Unlike other plants in the borage family, cultivated varieties of Brunnera do not self-seed invasively. Brunnera is sometimes referred to as Alkanet, which is in the same Borage family but a completely different genus, Pentaglottis sempervirens.

Brunnera prefers a shady location that has consistently moist and well-draining soil. That may seem like a tall order to fill, but a good mulch with organic compost or finely shredded leaves will help soil retain moisture. Mulch needs to be 2-3 inches deep to suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and keep the soil cooler in the summer. Brunnera is an herbaceous perennial that dies back partially in the winter. It will remain semi-evergreen in the warmer hardiness zones of 7-9 until new growth begins in the spring. Alexandria Brunnera is an excellent showy ground cover, an edging plant, or a unique filler in a container of mixed seasonal plants. It is deer resistant and rabbit resistant, although slugs and snails can be a problem for the tender young shoots in the spring.

Alexandria Brunnera Care

Plant Brunnera in soil with average texture and good drainage. Early morning or late afternoon sun is acceptable as long as there is shade during the hottest part of the day. Light-colored Brunneras will thrive in bright shade to deep shade. Fertilize in the spring with a granular, slow-release food with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10. This annual feeding is enough to support quick, vigorous growth through the summer. Water new plants well and let the soil dry slightly in between waterings. The top 1-2 inches of soil should be dry before watering again. Established and mature plants will require supplemental watering during extended hot and dry periods.

Deadhead spent flower stems as soon as possible in the early summer. This will encourage the plant to keep producing new foliage and reduce the number of self-sown plants that germinate the following spring. Do not cut the foliage back in the fall. Allowing the large leaves to remain over the winter will help to protect the crown of the plant and mark the plant’s location in the spring, so you don’t accidentally dig it up. Dividing Brunnera every 3-4 years will help to reinvigorate growth and add more plants to your garden.

Alexandria Brunnera Spacing

The extensive leaves of Brunnera are great for shading out weeds and keeping the soil moist. When Alexandria is planted in large numbers, spacing needs to be 18 inches apart from the center of each plant. This allows for the plants to expand and maintain good air circulation. Grow Alexandria Brunnera in a container with a diameter of 10 inches.