Bask in the sunlit glory of my favorite late winter flower.
This article displays recent photos of my flowering pulmonaria plant in March 2022. Between captures, I'll sprinkle in a few tidbits of my own reflections as well.
Pulmonaria
From the Boraginoideae family (Borage). [1.]
This variety, the grower named it Benediction, due to the stained glass colors, and for the tradition of Pulmonaria being used in Cathedral flower gardens.
A fitting name considering the petals are initially magenta/red, and then turn pale blue as they develop a patina after the sunlight shines through for a few days.
Sacred Traditions
According to sacred traditions, the Catholics honor Mary with many garden flowers. Pulmonaria is a favorite in this tradition as the blue flowers are a symbol of the marriage between Mary (blue) and Joseph (red). [2]
Additionally I have heard tales that the flowers, which bloom near the time of Lent, represent the church bells which are rung to signify the beginning of the festive season. Some say the many colors of the flowers represent the many saints who are celebrated.
Mystical Healing
In the Old English, Pulmonaria was called Lungwort, which means plant for treating the diseased lungs.
The speckled leaves, in olden times were thought to resemble diseased lungs. In times when religious zeal was high, possibly they felt the leaves of plants were a clue from god that the shape and patterns on the plant leaves might heal the diseased organ they resembled.
Is there any truth to the legendary healing effects of this plant?
Let's dive deeper...
Mary's Milk
Our Lady's Milk Drops or Mary's Tears are two more names for this mystical healing herb. [3.]
Eaten in salads during Roman times, as a substitute for spinach. Similarly, it is often more palatable when cooked.
Is this truly a garden gift from the goddess? A miracle plant to heal asthma, coughing, sore throat, and stuffy nose?
More likely, like many plants it can ease these ailments, yet this is the plant whose leaves and flowers ignited the imagination. An ambrosia to overcome mortality that begged to be eaten.
Medicinal Benefits
The Swiss first used pulmonaria as an effective expectorant.
Later is was also demonstrated to aid in treating cough, sore throat, tuberculosis, even asthma.
Other benefits include the plant's astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.
Tea
To make a tea, Nature & Garden describes a simple recipe as follows:
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsps dried pulmonaria leaves
- A few fresh mint leaves
- Spoonful of honey
Boil the water, and pour over the leaves and let it steep. Filter and drink three times a day during meals.
Health Warnings
Please do your own research on this plant, or consult a doctor if you intend to eat this plant, use an herbal supplement, or use it as a treatment for any ailment or disease. Chemicals in this plant are strongly mucolytic, diaphoretic and diuretic in nature. It contains tannic compounds, mucilage, salicylic acid, saponin, minerals and silicon.
Conclusion
Thank you for viewing my article. Did you enjoy the photos? Maybe you learned something interesting as well.
Join me next time as I continue to share events happening in my garden.
Sources
- Flora Europaea Search Results: Pulmonaria https://websites.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Pulmonaria+&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK=species
- Lincoln Cathedral Cloister Garden https://udayton.edu/marianlibrary/marysgardens/l/lincoln-cathedral-cloister-garden.php
- Nature & Garden. Lungwort health benefits: breathe easy, the lung care plant is here! https://www.nature-and-garden.com/health/lungwort-health-benefits.html
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Great photos of pulmonaria. I also like the picture of the flower pot at the end. Always interesting to see similarity of pre-Christian, Christian and new age healing traditions. Gotta be some truth in there somewhere 🙂 I drink a lot of tea and occasionally herbal teas. Usually for unique or different flavors more than medicinal purposes. I have not tried making my own herbal teas. Maybe this would be a good recipe to start.
Really I suspect there are other herbal remedies that are more effective and taste better than this one. The strongest appeal to this one is probably because it is heavily steeped in lore and legend. Possibly its greatest benefit is the placebo effect.
What beautiful lungwort photos! You captured the color well. Mine don't even have buds yet...
Plus a wealth of info about the plants uses.
Oh how very long since I have seen this pretty one - gorgeous!! I don't know why, but I always have a 'thing' for blue flowers.
I loved your post! I had never seen this beautiful plant in my life. It really is a beauty and your photos were very good to appreciate its incredible details. In addition to being beautiful, it has many therapeutic properties, it is incredible 😉.