For Valentine’s Day centerpieces or spring-featured woodland gardens, few plants can top the showy, romantic flowers of Bleeding Heart. Formerly known as Dicentra spectabilis, it has been renamed to Lamprocapnos spectabilis (pronounced lam-pro-CAP-nos speck-TAB-il-iss). The description spectabilis means showy, and this flower lives up to its name. The outer petals (pink, rose, or red) form a heart shape, while the inner petals (white) extend below the point, looking as if love is oozing out. The description belies the beauty of the individual blooms, which remind me of traditional Irish jewelry, the Claddagh (symbolizes love, friendship, and loyalty). These heart flowers (from seven to fifteen) appear on one side of the arching stem. The foliage is coarsely lobed.

Bleeding Heart is ephemeral, which means it comes up in early spring, flowers, then goes completely dormant in summer, fall, and winter. This disappearing habit means they pair well with hostas and ferns, which will expand to conceal holes left by their vanishing act. Their delicate color pairs well with blue and pink Mertensia virginica (bluebells) and yellow Primula vulgaris (primroses).  

Site Bleeding Heart in a part-shade to all-shade area with neutral to alkaline soil. They tolerate most soil types, sand to clay, but are more demanding with water needs. They want to be dry when dormant, and have plentiful moisture but not constantly wet while in growth and flowering. Plentiful organic matter in the soil will produce larger plants with more flowers.

Bleeding Heart is perennial in zones 3-9. After a year or two, they will reach heights of three feet with a two foot spread. The cultivar ‘Alba’ has white flowers, and ‘Gold Heart’ has yellow foliage. Both these cultivars will tolerate more sun than the straight species. ‘Gold Heart’ needs a little bit of sun to achieve best leaf color.

Plants are toxic if eaten. Sap causes contact dermatitis to sensitive skin. Bleeding Heart is not browsed by deer or rabbits, and is rarely troubled by insects.