Bleeding Heart Plant Care.
The Bleeding Heart Flower is one of the most beautiful perennials for the shaded parts of your garden. Learn how to grow and transplant the bleeding heart perennial.
The bleeding heart flower (Dicentra spectabilis) is one of the most popular perennials for shaded garden areas. The unusual shape of their flowers really remind you of a bleeding heart.
This delicate looking perennial plant has its origins in China and Korea and was introduced to Europe in 1847.
The plants reach a hight of 30 to 32 inches and produce their beautiful flowers in the spring.
Dicentra plants like a lightly shaded spot in front of larger trees or shrubs.
The soil should be humus rich and not too heavy or dry. Soggy or waterlogged soil does not suit them.
In general they are easy to grow and you will surely find a spot in your garden to grow these beautiful plants.
Ideal companions are other shade tolerant perennials like Primulas, Aquilegias, Epimediums, Ferns or Hostas.
It is not only the flowers that make these plants so valuable for your shaded garden areas. The beautifully cut foliage enhances and sets off the flowers and adds additional interest to the garden.
There are several ways to propagate bleeding heart plants.
Dicentra plants don't particularly like to be disturbed and can easily stay in the same place for over a decade without being split.
If you have to transplant bleeding heart perennials do it when the plants are dormant. Very early spring before the plants start growing again might be the best time.
Lift up the plant and divide the rootstock into several pieces. Add plenty of well rotten garden compost to the soil an replant the roots.
Water the plants in well to settle the soil around the roots.
A white bleeding heart with pure white flowers. This variety is not as vigorous as the pink one but it is very attractive in front of a dark background.
reaches only about 8 inches in hight. The
flowers are white with a yellow tip and appear from April to May. The
plant dies back
shortly after flowering.Dicentra cucullaria is also called 'Dutchman's Breeches'.