How to Grow Bleeding Heart Flowers

Growing Bleeding Heart Flowers in Your Home Garden

These flowers are both attractive plants and attractive flowers. There aren’t many flowering shade-loving plants. And, most shade-loving plants are grown for their attractive foliage However, you will love the colorful blooms of Bleeding Heart flowers, too. Use this guide on “How to Grow Bleeding Heart Flowers”, and you’re on your way to a beautiful, flowering shade garden.

Bleeding Heart plants are native to woodlands of the U.S. and Canada. They are shade-loving plants, that grow and bloom best in cool weather. The plants grow 1 to 3 feet, depending upon variety. Heart-shaped flowers with a showy stamen, bloom from spring to summer.

Bleeding Hearts are deer resistant. But, Hummingbirds are attracted to them.

Blooms make nice cut flowers.

Plant Height: 6 inches to 3 feet, depending upon variety.

Flower Colors: The most common colors are pink and white. You may also find red, rose, yellow, and purple, too.

Other Names: This plant is also called the Valentine Flower.

Important: All parts of this plant are poisonous. They cause skin rash and irritation. And, it can be toxic in large quantities. Keep this plant away from children and pets.

Perennial, Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Perennial Bleeding Hearts Plant Propagation

Bleeding Heart perennials are propagated through rhizomes (their roots). They can be separated through division. Dig up rhizomes and separate them. Make sure that each segment has an eye or two.

The flowers will produce seeds. But, few people grow them from seed. Propagating with rhizomes is much easier.

How to Grow Bleeding Heart Flower Plants

Bleeding Heart plants are easy to grow. The plants grow best in shade. They can be grown in the sun, in cooler areas. The soil should be rich and well-draining. They like consistently moist soil.

Fertilize plants regularly, especially if the soil is not rich. It is important to keep the soil moist, not wet or soggy.

Much around plants to help retain soil moisture.

The plants will bloom in the spring. In cooler areas, they may rebloom as summer nears. It is not uncommon for the plants to go dormant in the mid-summer heat.

After the first killing frost, cut back plants to 1 – 2 inches above the ground. In colder regions, a thick layer of mulch or straw will help to protect the rhizomes from freezing in harsh winters.

Ideal Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5.

Also, See:

Plant Problems – causes and cures