Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Lungworts


Our two kinds of lungwort are blooming once again. These plants hang on year after year and reliably give us bright blue flowers at the beginning of spring. There are a couple of spotted ones (above)...


...and some plain green ones.

I have no news today. I am sitting here with an utterly blank blogging agenda. I suppose no news is good news, as they say.


This was my (unnecessarily wordy) fortune from our Chinese take-away a few nights ago. I can't think of a long dispute in my life, so I have no idea what they're talking about, unless it's something beyond my immediate bailiwick. Will China and Taiwan become friends? Will India and Pakistan sort out the Kashmir question? Will cats and dogs curl up together?

40 comments:

Moving with Mitchell said...

We don't see fortune cookies here and I'm surprised you get them given they're an American invention. I miss the cookies but not the fortunes.

Anonymous said...

The best you can hope for is the last wish.
Wort seems awfully like worms and slugs.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Sorry to hear that you have lung worts. Is the condition treatable?

Sabine said...

The pictures are news enough Steve. Lovely colours. Take it easy. The Long Dispute is covert intel for coronavirus.

crafty cat corner said...

What a horrible name for such a lovely little flower.
I understand not being able to conjure up a post, I'm stuck for posts as well.
Briony
x

Bob said...

I don't think it'll be the cats and digs thing, because our cats and dog do that already ...though the dog looks worried the whole time.

Ms. Moon said...

Perhaps the message was for Maurice and Jack. But I doubt it. I can imagine the lion and the lamb lying down together before those two cats.
Those little lungwort are so sweet.

ellen abbott said...

lungwort. a new one to me. you have some of the most interesting plants. I've been making a list and took it to the nursery and the lady just shook her head. none of this does well here.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of lungwort. Pretty little flowers.
I'm impressed that the fortune had "its" spelled correctly without an apostrophe.

Ellen D. said...

I agree with Sabine that the "long dispute" refers to our long fight with the coronavirus that we will soon be conquering with the vaccines we are getting!
Lungwort seems like an awful name for such a sweet, lovely plant. Who names these things anyway?

Steve Reed said...

Ours are even made in the UK -- in Enfield, I think.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! I can't win!

Steve Reed said...

It's a much more pleasant condition than it sounds.

Steve Reed said...

Well I HOPE that arrives at its end sooner rather than later!

Steve Reed said...

Their latin name is "Pulmonaria," which isn't much better.

Steve Reed said...

Ha! Having cuddled with my share of cats, I would be too! (That's not any kind of double-entendre, honestly.)

Steve Reed said...

Maurice and Jack would be a good guess! Report back if they suddenly start getting along!

Steve Reed said...

I can imagine that your climate is way too hot for most of what we grow. You could have pelargoniums, for sure, and we have a plumbago -- you could have one of those, too. Daylilies. Buddleia, maybe?

Steve Reed said...

I'd never heard of it before we moved here. Maybe it's called something else in the states?

Steve Reed said...

The coronavirus guess is a good one! I don't know where these names come from. At least it's not quite as risque as corncockle.

Linda Sue said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharon said...

I have a feeling that none of the disputes you mentioned will end anytime soon. Love those blue blooms.

Edna B said...

Your blossoms are beautiful. I think the dispute is whether or not you will be able to travel this year. Just a thought. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

e said...

Great photos, and no disputes here either.

Jennifer said...

I believe that these flowers are what my grandma called "frog's eyes"...I've wondered what they really were and now I know....lungwort! They sure are pretty!

ellen abbott said...

I looked it up. I can have lungwort here. now to try and find some. yes, it's our summer heat. stuff just doesn't survive the summer. I do have plumbagos and daylilies. I tried buddleia a couple of times in the city with no luck but people do have them here. geraniums are iffy, don't like our heat but can survive.

Allison said...

I'm fairly envious of the scope of what grows for you.

Linda Sue said...

Good morning, I kant spel , need coffee

Janie Junebug said...

A pretty flower should have a pretty name.

Love,
Janie

Sarah said...

Lovely photos!

Steve Reed said...

Well, I didn't see what you misspelled, but coffee is always a good option!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I don't think so either!

Steve Reed said...

Hmmmm...is that a dispute? Well, anyway, I certainly do plan to travel, so you may be right!

Steve Reed said...

It's nice to live dispute-free, isn't it?

Steve Reed said...

Funny! I've never heard that name! Pulmonaria is the Latin name, apparently.

Steve Reed said...

That's why Britain is so famous for its gardens -- it really IS an ideal gardening country. Lots of moisture and temperate weather!

Steve Reed said...

Maybe we should rename it?

Steve Reed said...

Thank you!

Janie Junebug said...

I suggest Pretty Blue Flower for the new name. Simple. Descriptive. Probably not already taken as a formal name by another flower.

Sally S said...

It's been in our yard for 50 years, in upstate New York. We have always called it lungwort or pulmonaria. It seems to reseed itself around the yard, maybe with the help of squirrels. Rather prone to powdery mildew; otherwise a lovely plant. We did not have it in Montana as I was growing up, too cold and dry I would think.