Bleeding Hearts & Shade

The bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) grows to a height of 14 to 24 inches. A shade loving plant, it prefers a planting location that offers protection from the mid-day sun. The plant produces dangling flowers shaped like hearts in shades of pink, red or white.

Planting Location

• Bleeding heart requires a planting location with well-draining soil that is high in organic content. The plant will begin to grow in early spring and produce flowers from late spring to mid-summer. During the hot summer months, the plant will die back to the ground.

Considerations

• The bleeding heart, an herbaceous perennial, grows well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9, according to North Carolina State University’s website. In areas where the temperature stays relatively cool the plant can sustain full sunlight.

Warning

• The plants should be divided every two to three years. Dig the plant up when its foliage has died to the ground. Take care handling the plant’s roots, which are quite brittle and easily damaged. Replant in a new, shady location.