Melinda Myers

Bleeding Heart

Botanical Name

Dicentra spectabilis

Hardiness

Zones 3 to 9

Height

2 to 3 feet

Width

2 to 3 feet

Flowers

Late spring to early summer: rose-pink, white; white inner petals that 'bleed' from the tip

Light

Full to part shade (will go dormant earlier in full sun)

Soil

Moist, well-drained

Planting & Care

• Space plants 24 inches apart
• Deadhead for extended bloom
• Plant dies down midsummer - use among summer perennials to cover void left by dormant plant

Problems

None serious, rot (especially on white cultivars)

Varieties

• Alba - white, not as vigorous
• Pantaloons - white flowers
• Gold Heart - golden yellow to chartreuse foliage, pink flowers
• Valentine - red flowers with white tip