

Bleeding hearts won’t tolerate wet soil over winter or dry soil in summer. Watering:įrom spring until winter, water regularly to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Additional compost can be added in as well. Amendments & Fertilizer:Īdd a time-release fertilizer in the surrounding soil when new growth appears in spring. Soil:īleeding heart plants require moist, fertile, humus-rich soil that is neutral or slightly alkaline.

Flower stalks can be deadheaded after blooming to keep your plant looking clean. It’s important to wait, because up until that time the leaves are busy collecting and storing food and energy for next year. Once the foliage has turned yellow and wilted, the plant can be cut back to the ground. Lamprocapnos spectabilis varieties will die back in the heat of summer, but they’ll be back next spring. Since they die back to ground level and leave no trace once cut back, you’ll want to know where they are so you don’t disturb them when planting summer annuals or fall bulbs. Place markers where your bleeding hearts are planted. To allow for their mature size, space them 2 to 2.5 feet apart. Bleeding hearts will readily self-sow if seed pods are left on the plant and allowed to open. Plant seeds one-half inch deep and keep the soil moist until the first frost. Water well so the soil will settle in around the roots. If planted too deeply, they may rot or not flower. The ‘eyes’ (where new foliage will grow) should be about an inch below the soil level. If transplanting bleeding hearts from bare root stock or divided plants, place them with the roots fanned out and pointing down. Work compost into the soil before planting to provide a humus-rich base. Although they like damp soil, they shouldn’t be planted in an area that can get waterlogged.
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Farther north, they can be located in an area where they will get partial or even full sun if the weather is cool enough. In warmer southern zones, bleeding heart plants should be planted in a shady, cool location. Plant seeds in the fall they'll germinate in the spring after a needed chilling period over winter. Plants can be divided or transplanted in the spring or in the fall (after foliage dies back). Photo by: BOULENGER Xavier / Shutterstock. New growth on Lamprocapnos spectabilis plants in spring. Other:īleeding hearts are deer and rabbit resistant. Foliage may also aggravate sensitive skin, so care should be taken when handling.

Mild stomach upset can occur if any part of the plant is ingested. Varieties bloom in shades of red, pink, white and purple. Bloom Time:Ĭommon bleeding hearts bloom mid-to-late spring, see specifics on other varieties. Partial to full shade, may tolerate sun in cooler northern zones. Up to 3 feet tall and wide also compact varieties 1 to 1.5 feet tall & wide. On this page: Basics | Planting | Care and Maintenance | Pictures | Design Ideasģ-9 see specifics on other varieties. Learn more about growing and caring for both of these types of bleeding heart flowers and others. Dicentra eximia varieties, also called fringed bleeding hearts, bloom for a longer time and don’t go dormant. Their characteristic heart-shaped flowers bloom in shades of pink, red or white and hang delicately from arching stems from late spring to early summer.Ĭommon bleeding heart plants ( Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis) die back after flowering, but don’t worry - they’ll return again the following spring. These easy-care, shade-loving perennials pop up in early spring and grow quickly. Photo by: Ivo Vitanov Velinov / Shutterstock.
