Scientific Name
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba'
Common Name(s)
White Bleeding Heart
Synonym(s)
Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba'
Scientific Classification
Family: Papaveraceae
Subfamily: Fumarioideae
Tribe: Fumarieae
Subtribe: Corydalinae
Genus: Lamprocapnos
Flower
Color: White
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Description
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial that grows up to 2.5 feet (0.7 m) tall and 2 feet (60 cm) wide. Leaves are fern-like and fresh green in color.
The flowers are heart-shaped, pure white, and appear in late spring and summer.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 3a to 9b: from −40 °F (−40 °C to 30 °F (−1.1 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Bleeding Heart will grow in full sun in a moist and cool climate, but it requires some shade in warmer and drier climates. Keep plants well-watered throughout the summer, especially in warmer weather. Even then, they may be ephemeral and disappear until the fall or next spring. If you've recently planted your Bleeding Heart, it would be wise to mark the spot, so you don't accidentally dig in the area while your Bleeding Heart is dormant. It prefers rich, moist soil but is not particular about soil pH. Bleeding Heart is not a heavy feeder, so when to fertilize depends on the quality of your soil. You won't have to feed at all if you have rich, organic soil amended every year.
They can be started from seed, division, cutting, or seedling. It is very easy to divide Bleeding Heart plants. It should be divided after flowering, so you don't sacrifice bloom. The fringed-leaf varieties divide nicely early in spring as they are emerging. It can also be started by seed or stem cuttings. Plants very often self-seed throughout your garden, although not to the point of being a nuisance.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Bleeding Heart.
Origin
Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' is a cultivar of Lamprocapnos spectabilis.
Links
- Back to genus Lamprocapnos
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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