
Light Needs

Mature Height

Mature Spread

Growing Zones
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.
Alexandria Brunnera Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 - 8 |
Plant Type: Perennials |
Light Exposure: Partial Shade to Full Sun (At Least 3 Hours Of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 14 - 18 Inches |
Mature Spread: 26 - 30 Inches |
Spacing: 26 - 30 Inches |
Habit: Spreading |
Flower Color(s): Blue |
Flower Description: Sky Blue |
Bloom Period: Eary Spring |
Foliage Type: Herbaceous |
Foliage Color(s): Green, Silver |
Foliage Description: Green And White Shade |
Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering |
Watering: Low |
Resists: Deer, Rabbit |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Bees |
Container Role: Filler |
Uses: Borders, Containers, Specimen or Focal Point |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance |
Brand: Plants That Work |
Common Name: Alexandria Brunnera |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: Brunnera mac. 'Alexandria' |
- SKU:
- 1231013156-pc
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts

Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts

Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts

Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons

Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons

We stand behind our plants with industry-leading guarantees to give you peace of mind.
We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
Starting January 1, 2025 all bushes, perennials & trees purchased come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.

Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
---|---|
Zone 10 | March 31th |
Zone 9 | March 31st |
Zone 8 | April 7th |
Zone 7 | April 14th |
Zone 6b | April 21st |
Zone 6a | April 28th |
Zone 5b | May 5th |
Zone 5a | May 12th |
Zone 4 | May 19th |
Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: Idaho, AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!