Bleeding Heart
BLEEDING HEART (Dicentra spectabilis)
A native of Japan, this beautiful delicate perennial produces arching branches with sprays of dangling heart-shaped flowers that are pink with white tips or solid white. The plant will bloom in the spring through summer and once established is relatively trouble-free. Bleeding heart is hardy to zone 3 -9 and will tolerate the cold winters in Northern states.
plant the roots pointed end down into the soil
Care
Bleeding heart can be planted in the spring or fall in moist, rich, well-drained soil and in semi-shade to shade. Plant it in an area where is gets direct sun early in the day and avoid the midday full sun, as that will cause the foliage to dieback prematurely. Maintain even moisture during the growing season. If needed place a layer of 1-2 inches of mulch around the plant away from the base to keep the soil evenly moist.
When the hot summer sets in, the foliage will turn yellow, die back and go into summer dormancy.
Bleeding heart seed pods
Propagate
Divide the plant in the spring every 5 years to reduce overcrowding and produce new plants. You can also divide in the fall after the foliage dies back. A mature plant will produce seeds making more give away plants.
Bleeding heart is relatively disease free except for wilt and stem rot caused by a fungus from growing in water-logged, wet soil.
Note – All parts of this plant are poisonous.
Hi, we have four bleeding heart plants, that have been beautiful and huge (3’x3′) for the last 5 years we’ve lived here, but now are coming back at 1/2 size or less. They’re currently blooming. How can I tell what is wrong with them? Or should I just add some balance fertilizer on them and hope they recover? They are planted in the back of the house where it’s shade in the morning and or in the afternoon. Thank you for any insight!
I don’t have an answer, but another question. I have a red bleeding heart, about 3 or 4 years old. This year, at bloom time ( now) it also shot up a very wide, ribbon-like stem, sporting both flowers and what look like tiny plants. I have never seen anything like it in all the years(a lot!) I have been growing dicentras!!! Any ideas?
I purchased a red bleeding heart. After the red bloom came off, new blooms appeared pink. Is there anything I can do to make them turn red again. They are in a big clay pot in the perfect spot! Early morning sun only. I live in Florida
On the Wisconsin Iliinois border and wanting to transplant some bleeding hearts. Should i do it now(about 1″ stems currently)? And is there a video showing how to best split these plants? Very new to this.
Hi! Wext Texas here, just got my first bleeding heart vine, and I am courious to know if I should pot it, or put it in the ground? Honestly its so pretty i just want it to thrive as much as possible. All tio are apreciated, TIA
Hi I recently (2 weeks ago) bought 4 bleeding hearts. 2 seem to be doing well (flowers are done but still green) but 2 have started to yellow. Since it’s only May I’m worried that I’m somehow killing them (brown thumb over here). Should I take them back to the nursery and get new ones or are they just going dormant and I will see them come up again in the spring?
I have question….my bleeding hearts are cut down at the base of plant every year just as there blooming…what nasty little critter is doing this deed..??? I reside in Western Massaschusetts.
I recently planted a bleeding heart. When i planted it, the ground was EXTREMELY wet and soppy. It has not rained since then. Now the leaves r turning yellow on it, and the blooms have disappeared. I didn’t water it because I wanted the ground to dry up period I went on a trip for a week and I came back today and noticed it was yellow. Can someone please help? It’s my favorite plant and I don’t want to lose it. There is green leaves toward the bottom but the ones that are farther up to Stems are yellow.
I lost my home to a wildfire in May of this year. We were evacuated from our town in Northern Alberta, Canada for a month. When we came back to town to view what was left of our property (only ashes), to my surprise my bleeding heart plant was not only living but thriving and full of blooms growing up through the rubble and ashes. I saw it as a sign of hope after everything my family and I had been through. I had the plant dug up and I have it in a pot on the front doorstep of the place we are renting until I can take it back home when we rebuild next year. I have read through the previous posts and see that I can store it in the garage over the winter. My question is, when should I move it to the garage? Before we have our first frost? Our weather up here is very unpredictable as in we could either have warm sunny weather in October or 2 feet snow on the ground by the end of September. There are no more flowers on the plant but the leaves are still green and healthy looking. After everything the plant has been through, I don’t want to risk losing it because I’ve either left it outside for too long or brought it indoors too soon.
Sharon – I live in BC and know well of the fire that burned much of your community last year. Your bleeding heart is definitely a symbol of hope for you and your family – I truly hope it survived the winter and is thriving again.
Hi
I bought my wife a grip of bleeding heart plantslast November and I have a great place for them on the north side of our house. The problem is, this summer our house is getting repainted. So I figure it was best to plant them in pots so that they won’t get damaged during the time our house is being repainted. So now they are starting to die because we had a really early spring here in Washington. So after our house is painted would it be ok to transplant them into the ground? Or when should I plant them in the ground? and should I cut them back if all the leaves are brown?
Thank you
I have a bleeding heart plant that came from my father’s garden many years ago. I am getting ready to move and am wondering if I can take a piece of it to plant in my new home. The problem is it is fall now and I won’t be moving until winter. Can I take a piece now and put it in a pot until I move to my new home? I really want to take a piece of my dad to my new home. 🙁 Any help would be appreciated.
Laurie
Hi,
I bought a few fern leaf bleeding heart roots and planted in pots in Oct and was trying to keep them in my dark garage till next spring. However, we have had a warm Oct and a few have sprouted. Should I move them to the light or will they be ok in my dark garage?
I gave my mother a bleeding heart for mother’s day this spring and it stayed green all summer and is re-blooming a little now in late Sept. It is in a hanging basket. Mom loves it and ask me if it dies in winter. not knowing I looked here. My Quest. is can i move it to the basement leaving it in the basket and then plant it in the ground next spring? Or do I have other options i.e.: dividing to 2 baskets? Planting in the ground now before frost? etc…
Hi
Are you referring to a bleeding heart vine or the perennial plant?
i live in Maryland and my bleeding heart is during it looks like it is drowning. I know the soil is not well drained but I am scared that if I move it it won’t survive the transplant.
I live in Ohio and my bleeding hears are full and bushy with blooms, but the blooms haven’t opened and look to be wilted from the late cold weather we are having. Should I cut the blooms off and if I do will they generate new blooms?
The leaves of my white bleeding heart had fallen in winter, but now it’s spring and yet no leaves are coming. I live in India. Last year it bloomed very well. Please advise. Thanks.