Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: A whole new look at Bleeding Hearts
My Northern Gardener magazine came!! It never disappoints, I always discover something. If you’re a cold climate gardener, check them out. No, I’m NOT paid to say that!
Common bleeding heart (the old-fashioned early bloomers) are native to Asia but there are several North American Natives!
The common bleeding (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) heart bloom early and go dormant over the summer.
There are lovely cultivars of them including ‘Alba’ (these 3 plants are all Dicentra spectabilis) with white flowers, ‘Gold Heart’ with chartreuse leaves and pink flowers and a cultivar released last year, 2022, called ‘Ruby Gold’, similar to ‘Gold Heart’ but with red flowers with a touch of orange.
The fringed bleeding heart is native to the Appalachian region where it grows in woodlands and rock ledges. The plants stay compact about 18 inches tall and wide. The foliage is, yes, fringed! It blooms at the same time as the common bleeding heart but will rebloom sporadically until fall with adequate moisture.
The author of the article has used them as a ground cover, they naturalize without being rude. He also notes that they are attractive to bees and hummingbirds.
I didn’t realize the Midwest native Dutchman’s Breeches is dicentra cucullaria, a bleeding heart! Again, an early bloomer. DUH, I should’ve known!
There’s another native to the southeast corner of Minnesota whose common name is Squirrel Corn. It’s Dicentra canadensis. The leaves are shaped like those of Dutchman’s breeches but the flowers are heart-shaped.
Did you know that deer are not fond of Bleeding Hearts? Bonus