Brunnera plant named ‘Balfrosmic’

A new and distinct cultivar of Brunnera plant named ‘Balfrosmic’, characterized by its medium blue-colored flowers with a small white “eye”, silvery-colored foliage with light green venation and yellow green colored margins, vigorous, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

1. 11. A new and distinct cultivar of Brunnera plant named ‘Balfrosmic’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Brunnera macrophylla. 
Variety denomination: ‘Balfrosmic’.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Brunnera plant botanically known as Brunnera macrophylla and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balfrosmic’.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, The Netherlands during May 2016. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Brunnera cultivars having unique foliage coloration.
The new Brunnera cultivar is the result of open pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Alexander's Great’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,789, characterized by its blue flowers, gray-silver foliage with white and green venation and margins; and vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open pollination during April 2018 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation since April 2018 in Hem, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balfrosmic’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Brunnera plant:

    
    
        1. Medium, blue-colored flowers with a small white “eye”;
        2. Silvery-colored foliage with light green venation and yellow green colored margins; and
        3. Vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.
    
    


Of the many commercially available Brunnera cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the female parent, ‘Alexander's Great’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,789. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Alexander's Great’ in at least the following characteristics:

    
    
        1. Plants of the new cultivar have darker colored margins that are different from the light green colored margins of plants of ‘Alexander's Great’; and
        2. Plants of the new cultivar have leaves with a more acute leaf apex plants of ‘Alexander's Great’.
    
    





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balfrosmic’. The plants were approximately eight months old and grown in 3-quart containers for approximately six months in a double polyethylene greenhouse in Elburn, Illinois.
FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth habit of ‘Balfrosmic’.
FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Balfrosmic’.



DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in March 2025 under natural light conditions in Naperville, Illinois.
The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately eight-month-old plants produced from in vitro plantlets and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 3-quart containers for approximately six months in a double polyethylene greenhouse in Elburn, Illinois. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 42° F. to 47° F. (5.6° C. to 8.3° C.) during the day and approximately 37° F. to 42° F. (2.8° C. to 5.0° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

    Botanical classification: Brunnera macrophylla ‘Balfrosmic’.
    Parentage:
    
        
        
            Female parent.—‘Alexander's Great’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,789.
            Male parent.—Unknown.
        
        
    
    
    Propagation:
    
        
        
            Type.—In vitro propagation is preferred, divisions are possible.
            Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 10 days.
            Time to produce a rooted plantlet in summer.—Approximately 7 to 8 weeks.
            Root description.—Rhizomatous with fine, fibrous secondary roots.
            Rooting habit.—Freely branching.
        
        
    
    
    Plant description:
    
        
        
            Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a rooted tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 15 cm container.
            Growth habit and general appearance.—Clump-forming herbaceous perennial, mounded growth habit.
            Growth rate.—Vigorous.
            Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4a-9a (−30° F. to −25° F./−34.4° C. to −31.7° C.).
            Size.—Height from soil level to top of foliage: Approximately 13.0 cm. Width: Approximately 38.0 cm.
            Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes. Number of rosettes per plant: Approximately 6.
        
        
    
    
    Foliage description:
    
        
        
            General description.—Quantity of leaves per rosette: Approximately 4. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Basal.
            Leaves.—Aspect: Blade is at an acute angle to nearly perpendicular to petiole. Shape: Deltoid. Margin: Entire, often with one or two undulations. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Deeply cordate. Venation pattern: Reticulate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 3.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Densely pubescent, setose. Texture of lower surface: Densely pubescent setose on venation. Color of upper surface of young foliage: Closest to 193B with margins of 143C and venation of NN137B. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage: 144A with venation between 138B and 138C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to 191C with margins of 144A and venation of 137B.
            Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.0. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146C with an overlay of N186B.
        
        
    
    
    Flowering description:
    
        
        
            Flowering habit.—‘Balfrosmic’ requires vernalization for flowering.
            Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately 3 to 5 days.
        
        
    
    
    Inflorescence description:
    
        
        
            General description.—Type: Paniculate cyme emerging from the base of the rosette. Fragrance: None detected. Length: Approximately 26.0 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 cm. Quantity of inflorescences per plant: Approximately 5.
            Peduncle.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Erect to approximately 45° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 16.0 cm. Diameter at midpoint: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent setose. Color: 144B with an overlay of N186C.
        
        
    
    
    Flower description:
    
        
        
            General description.—Type: Single, actinomorphic.
            Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally, takes 4 days for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.
            Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globose. Diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 94C.
            Corolla.—Shape: Rotate. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm. Depth: Approximately 2.0 mm.
            Petals.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Obovate. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 2.5 mm. Width: Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first and fully open: 96B with base of NN155D forming a small central floral “eye”. Color of lower surface when first and fully open: N88D.
            Calyx.—Shape: Cup-like. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Depth: Approximately 1.5 mm.
            Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper (inner) surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower (outer) surface: Densely pubescent. Color of upper (inner) surface: 141C. Color of lower (outer) surface: 141C.
            Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 141A with an overlay of N77A.
            Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 5 per flower, adnate to corolla. Anther shape: Winged. Anther length: Less than 1.0 mm. Anther color: 203A. Filament length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Filament color: NN155D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: NN155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145D. Style color: 145C. Ovary shape: 4 lobed, deeply divided. Ovary color: N144C.
        
        
    
    
    Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has been observed.
    Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Brunnera has not been observed.