Yes, brunnera low maintenance is one of the plant's top traits per the UW-Madison Extension. This shade perennial needs almost no work once you get it set in the right spot. You will spend maybe two hours per year on basic care for a small bed of brunnera plants. Few plants give you so much beauty for so little work each season.
Brunnera is the kind of easy care perennial that new gardeners can plant with full trust. The plant evolved in shady forest spots where no human ever tended it. It survived on rainfall, leaf litter, and natural soil for many thousands of years. Your shade garden mimics this same setup well, which means brunnera thrives with little help from you.
In my experience, I do just three small tasks each year on my brunnera plants. I clean up the old leaves in early spring before new growth shows. I water once a week during dry summer stretches when the soil feels too dry. That is the whole list of work for my plants each year. No pest sprays, no fancy feed, no big jobs at all.
Brunnera care requirements are short and sweet by any measure. The UW-Madison Extension says the plant needs only extra water during dry spells and basic spring cleanup. No fancy pruning, no staking, no deadheading work to speak of. Other shade plants like astilbe and hosta need much more care than brunnera does.
Water is the one thing brunnera needs from you in most years. The plant likes soil that stays a bit moist but not wet. Most years, the rain takes care of all the water for you. In dry stretches of two weeks or more, give each plant a deep soak once a week.
Mulch each spring with a two inch (5 centimeter) layer of bark or leaves to cut your work even more. The mulch holds in soil moisture so you water less during summer. The mulch also breaks down into rich soil that feeds the plant for free. I have not used any other fertilizer on my brunnera in years.
Spring cleanup takes just a few minutes per plant each year. Cut off the old dead leaves with hand pruners in late March or April. Toss them in the compost or yard waste bin. New green shoots will push up right after you clean up the mess. This one task is all you need for a tidy bed and healthy growth all season.
Some gardeners deadhead the spent flower stems in late spring for a tidier look. This step is not needed for plant health, just for looks. I leave my flower stems in place to let them set seed for the birds. The choice is yours and either way works fine for the plant.
Brunnera is the low effort shade plant that most beginners need in their first garden. The plant looks great with no fuss and rarely runs into trouble. Even brand new gardeners can keep brunnera happy with no real skill. The plant forgives most small mistakes that other shade plants would die from.
Plan to divide your clumps every three to four years if you want more plants. Division is optional and not needed for plant health in most cases. Use a sharp spade to cut the clump into chunks in early spring. Replant the chunks right away or give them to friends. With this small bit of care, your brunnera will give you years of beauty with hardly any work at all.
Read the full article: Brunnera Plant Growing and Care Guide
