Brunnera macrophylla is native to the mountain forests of Turkey, the North Caucasus, and Transcaucasia, and it brings the temperament of those cool, shaded slopes to the garden: a preference for filtered light, consistent moisture, and relief from summer heat. The flowers arrive in early to mid-spring as branching racemes of small, blue, white-centered blooms on stems reaching 18 inches, closely resembling forget-me-nots (hence the common name) but carried above genuinely impressive foliage. The basal leaves are large, dark green, heart-shaped, and rough-textured, reaching up to 6 inches across and forming a mounding ground cover that holds its character through the growing season long after flowering ends.

Several cultivars extend the plant's ornamental range considerably, with silver-splashed or cream-margined leaves that glow in deep shade. All of them share the species' intolerance of hot, humid summers, which makes Brunnera a plant for the upper and middle South at best, and more reliably for gardens with genuinely cool nights. Mulching helps keep the soil temperature down and the moisture consistent. Deer and rabbits leave it alone, probably deterred by the rough leaf texture. It spreads slowly by self-seeding and rhizome, forming generous colonies given time.