Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' (Bertram Anderson Lungwort) care

Light

Picture the indirect light an east-facing window gives mid-morning — that's the brightness lungwort 'bertram anderson' grows fastest in. Performs best in partial to deep shade. The narrower leaves of this species are slightly more tolerant of sun than broad-leaved types, but afternoon shade is still recommended to prevent scorch. You'll know it's right when new leaves come out the same size and colour as the established ones. Smaller, paler new leaves = move closer to the window.

Watering

Aim for every 7-10 days; somewhat more drought-tolerant than other pulmonarias but still prefers consistent moisture for lungwort 'bertram anderson', but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Moist, cool soil produces the best leaf spotting and vigour. In very dry summers, water regularly to prevent early dormancy and leaf tattering. Mulch to conserve moisture.

Soil and pot

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' grows best in humus-rich, moisture-retentive loam. Best in organically enriched, cool soil. Tolerates clay but must have reasonable drainage to avoid crown rot. Slightly acid to neutral pH (6.0-7.0) is ideal. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' sits happiest at around 50-80% humidity and -25-22°C (-13-72°F). Naturally suited to the cool, moist humidity of woodland shade. Increased irrigation compensates for low humidity in drier gardens. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed lungwort 'bertram anderson' sparingly. Apply a light top-dressing of balanced slow-release fertiliser or compost in spring. This species is notably unfussy; over-feeding produces lush but mildew-prone foliage. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on lungwort 'bertram anderson' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Powdery mildew — Less prone than some pulmonarias, but can still appear in warm, dry conditions; cut back after flowering and water well.
• Slug damage — Emerging spring foliage is vulnerable; apply controls early in the season.
• Summer dormancy — Extended drought may trigger premature dormancy; maintain soil moisture to keep leaves looking good through summer.
• Leaf scorch — Direct sun in warm spells causes bleaching; ensure adequate shade cover.
• Crown rot — Excessive soil moisture combined with poor drainage can rot the crown; improve drainage if plants decline rapidly.

Companion plants

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' pairs well with Epimedium, Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff), Dicentra (Bleeding Heart), and Muscari. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide clumps in late spring after flowering finishes, or in early autumn. Pulmonaria longifolia spreads more slowly than other species; division every 3-4 years maintains vigour. Replant in moist soil and water in well. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' is pet-safe. Pulmonaria is listed as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses by the ASPCA. This cultivar of Pulmonaria longifolia is considered safe around pets. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of lungwort 'bertram anderson' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common lungwort 'bertram anderson' problems & fixes
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' watering schedule
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' light requirements
• Best soil mix for lungwort 'bertram anderson'
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' fertilizing guide
• When to repot lungwort 'bertram anderson'
• How to propagate lungwort 'bertram anderson'
• How to prune lungwort 'bertram anderson'
• What's eating my lungwort 'bertram anderson'?
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' growth rate & size
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' cold hardiness
• Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' temperature & humidity
• Is lungwort 'bertram anderson' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is lungwort 'bertram anderson' toxic to cats?
• Is lungwort 'bertram anderson' toxic to dogs?
• All 9 Pulmonaria varieties
• Getting lungwort 'bertram anderson' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' qualifies for 17 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best pet-safe low-light plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs AND happy with no direct sun — the two hardest constraints to satisfy at once.
• Best plants for cold, dark rooms — Houseplants that cope with BOTH low light and a cool, unheated room — the hardest indoor spot to fill. Every pick tolerates a low of about 10°C and shade.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
• Best pet-safe flowering plants — Flowering houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — colour and blooms in a pet home, without the worry.
• Best pet-safe bathroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in the humid, lower-light conditions of a bathroom — safe greenery for the smallest room.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best pet-safe bedroom plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in lower light — calming greenery for a bedroom where a pet often sleeps too.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Lungwort 'Bertram Anderson' is also known as Bertram Anderson Lungwort, Long-Leaved Lungwort, and Spotted Dog.

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