What Type of Soil Do Bleeding Hearts Like?

Bleeding heart vines are indoor houseplants grown from cuttings and used as specimen plants or as part of an arrangement. Bleeding heart flowers are a completely different species grown from seed and planted in gardens and landscapes. Each type of bleeding heart has different soil requirements.

Dicentra

• Also known as Dutchman’s breeches, for their shape and their botanical history, bleeding heart (Dicentra) flowers are planted in moist garden soils. The plants are traditionally used in borders and woodland landscapes. Cultivars include: Gold Heart, Bountiful, Snowflake and Zestful. Colors range from whites to deep red.

Bleeding Heart Vines

• Unlike Dicentra, bleeding heart vines (Clerodendrum thomsoniae) are indoor plants. These plants are often given as gifts for Valentine’s Day because of their red and white flowers. Plant starts and mature vines in fresh, sterile potting soil. General indoor potting mixes are appropriate. Water the plant when the soil is dry to the touch. From late November until mid-February, the plant is dormant. During dormancy soil is kept dry.

Fertilizer

• Flowering plants, like the bleeding heart, require fertilizers high in phosphorous. A good fertilizer mix is 15-30-15. Apply fertilizer to soil only during the plant’s active growing phase. Do not fertilize from mid-November to mid-February or you risk burning the plant’s roots.