Bleeding Heart

Bleeding heart is one of the most distinctive perennials of the spring garden: arching stems 24 to 36 inches long hung with pendulous heart-shaped flowers in pink and white, or pure white in 'Alba', swaying above ferny blue-green foliage. It blooms from mid-spring for six weeks or more, then goes completely dormant in summer heat, so plant hostas, ferns or late perennials nearby to fill the gap. It is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan.

Give it part shade with protection from hot afternoon sun, humus-rich soil that holds moisture but drains, and steady water while it is in leaf. Plant 18 to 24 inches apart in spring or fall, mark the spot before it disappears, and leave it; it is long-lived and resents disturbance, though it can be divided in early spring when the shoots show. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.

As a cut flower it is underused. The arching stems make a structural element in loose spring arrangements with peonies, narcissus and foliage; cut when about half the flowers on a stem are open and condition in clean water for several hours. The sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves, and the plant is toxic if eaten, which keeps deer and rabbits away. Bumblebees are the pollinators. The native fringed bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) is smaller and flowers all summer.