If you want a spotless that you can get hold of Jim there's P. rubra. (as long as you don't get the ghastly variegated version). Very early flowering and good for early bumble bees
To be honest, nut I like to think I'm creating as diverse a habitat as possible so I want to pack in as many natives as I can. There's still room for hard working non-natives, but I would like to think I've done something to help our British flora (and fauna) not go extinct. I know it's a pipe dream but what a good one? I'm very torn between the two camps, one that says 'You should only grow it if it's local' and those that say, 'Better to have non-local growing than nothing growing at all, as long as something is eating it then it deserves a home.'
Hi Nut that's my understanding too, my officinalis were flowering at new year last year and they look like they're going to do the same this year. The longifolia is showing no signs of doing that but they're fairly young plants so that may change. This is the first year my seed sown officinalis are going to flower. I thought I'd lost them all until early this year they all started pushing up those sail like leaves. It took me a while to work out what they were as I'm sure they were nowhere to be seen the year before.
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Here is one in winter without the big lanceolate leaves which reach 2 feet high.
If you want a spotless that you can get hold of Jim there's P. rubra. (as long as you don't get the ghastly variegated version). Very early flowering and good for early bumble bees
In the sticks near Peterborough
To be honest, nut I like to think I'm creating as diverse a habitat as possible so I want to pack in as many natives as I can. There's still room for hard working non-natives, but I would like to think I've done something to help our British flora (and fauna) not go extinct. I know it's a pipe dream but what a good one? I'm very torn between the two camps, one that says 'You should only grow it if it's local' and those that say, 'Better to have non-local growing than nothing growing at all, as long as something is eating it then it deserves a home.'
I like to keep a diverse habitat as well Jim. If I see something being eaten I'll plant more of it for next year
In the sticks near Peterborough
Here's another native pulmonaria Nut, this is P. longifolia. Mine just arrived from Binny in Scotland.
That is a lovely blue
In the sticks near Peterborough
That's what I thought and lots more early pollen and nectar.
Is this a very early flowerer. P. rubra often has one or new on New Year's Day if the weather has been mild like this year.
I shall have to get some longifolia though
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Nut that's my understanding too, my officinalis were flowering at new year last year and they look like they're going to do the same this year. The longifolia is showing no signs of doing that but they're fairly young plants so that may change. This is the first year my seed sown officinalis are going to flower. I thought I'd lost them all until early this year they all started pushing up those sail like leaves. It took me a while to work out what they were as I'm sure they were nowhere to be seen the year before.