Scientific Name
Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara.
Common Names
Bleeding Heart, Bleeding Hearts, Asian Bleeding Heart, Chinaman's Breeches, Dutchman's Breeches, Lady in a Bath, Locks, and Keys, Lyre Flower, Seal Flower, Showy Bleeding Heart
Synonyms
Fumaria spectabilis, Dicentra spectabilis, Diclytra spectabilis
Scientific Classification
Family: Papaveraceae
Subfamily: Fumarioideae
Tribe: Fumarieae
Subtribe: Corydalinae
Genus: Lamprocapnos
Flower
Color: Pink and white
Bloom Time: Spring and summer
Description
Lamprocapnos spectabilis is a beautiful flowering perennial that grows up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and 18 inches (45 cm) wide. Leaves are soft, delicate, fern-like on fleshy, green to pink stems. Flowers are heart-shaped and gracefully hang down from the stems. The outer petals are pink, while the inner ones are white.
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 in warmer and drier climates, it requires some shade. 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 plant 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. If you have rich, organic soil that is amended every year, you won't have to feed at all.
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. See more at How to Grow and Care for Bleeding Heart.
Origin
Native to Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan.
Cultivars
Links
- Back to genus Lamprocapnos
- Plantopedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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