Northwest Blooms · Groundcovers
Omphalodes verna
Creeping Navelwort
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Height
- 6 to 9 in
- Width
- 18 to 24 in
- Flower color
- Bright blue flowers with a slight white eye
- Foliage color
- Medium to deep green, softly hairy, heart-shaped leaves forming a dense mound
- Bloom time
- Mid to late spring
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade
- Water
- Moderate, prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil
- Maintenance
- Low, remove spent flower stems after blooming
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Bees, early-season pollinators
About this plant
Omphalodes verna produces clusters of bright sky-blue, five-petaled flowers with tiny white centers from early to mid-spring, creating a cheerful display that attracts bees and other early pollinators. Rounded to heart-shaped, softly textured green leaves form a dense, low-growing carpet that remains fresh and attractive throughout the growing season. Creeping stems root as they spread, producing a lush groundcover that fills shaded spaces with fine texture and long-lasting greenery after the flowers have faded.
Native to the moist woodlands of southern and central Europe, this species has long been valued for its reliable spring bloom and spreading habit. It is well suited to woodland gardens, shaded borders, beneath trees and shrubs, and naturalized plantings, where its vivid blue flowers and dense foliage provide lasting seasonal interest.
Works well in
Woodland Gardens · Under Trees · Pollinator Gardens · Borders
Companion plants
Trilliums · Primroses · Bergenias · Kalmia · Hellebores · Ferns
Design tip
Plant generous drifts beneath deciduous trees where the blue flowers can illuminate the woodland floor each spring. Blend evergreen shrubs, bold foliage, and layered groundcovers to create repeating textures, gentle contrast, and a naturalistic planting with lasting visual depth.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Heronswood Garden.
