Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart) – Hardy Perennial (2L Pot)

Dicentra spectabilis is the classic bleeding heart, with rows of pink and white lockets swinging from long arching stems in late spring.

It is now correctly called Lamprocapnos spectabilis, though almost everyone still asks for it by the old name. The fern like, deeply cut leaves make a generous clump around 60 to 90cm tall, and it holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit. It dies down completely by midsummer, so plant it where a later perennial or a fern can fill the gap it leaves.

It wants partial shade, shelter from strong wind and soil that stays moist without turning wet, which is why it does so well under trees and in cottage borders. Mulch in autumn, keep it watered in dry spells and avoid waterlogging over winter. Bleeding heart is harmful if eaten and the sap can irritate skin. It arrives as an established plant in a 2L pot, and may be dormant if it comes to you in autumn or winter.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Bleeding heart
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 60 to 90cm tall and 45 to 60cm wide
• Growth Habit: Clump forming with graceful arching stems
• Perfect For: Shaded borders, woodland planting, cottage gardens and containers
• Foliage: Fern like, mid green, deeply divided, dying down by midsummer
• Flowering Time: Late spring to early summer
• Planting Position: Partial shade in soil that stays moist, sheltered from strong wind, and it grows well in containers
• Soil Type: Moist, well drained, humus rich
• Hardiness: Fully hardy, though the soft new shoots can be caught by a late spring frost
• Maintenance: Mulch in autumn, water in dry spells and leave the dying foliage until it has faded
• Seasonal Interest: Spring and early summer
• Type: Hardy herbaceous perennial

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