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Key characteristics

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

Groundcovers

Omphalodes verna

Creeping Navelwort

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.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Moderate, prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil

Bloom time

Mid to late spring

Find this plant

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.