Shade Garden

1. Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart

There's little wonder why old-fashioned bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a shade-garden favorite. In late spring and early summer, it produces pink or white heart-shaped flowers that hang from elegant, arching stems. This top-notch plant is hardy in Zones 3-9 and grows up to 4 feet tall.

Tip: By midsummer, old-fashioned bleeding heart usually goes dormant and loses its foliage. Plant it with astilbe or hosta so you don't end up with a bare spot in your garden.

Description

There's little wonder why bleeding heart is a perennial border shade favorite. In late spring to midsummer, common or old-fashioned bleeding heart (Dicentra spectablis) produces heart-shaped flowers in shades of pink or white that hang from elegant, arching stems that reach between 2 and 3 feet. The foliage dies back in midsummer. Fringed or ever-blooming bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia) blooms with the daffodils with lacy foliage and smaller more subtle flowers. It continues to stay fresh and gray-green and bloom off and on until frost.

Zones

4 to 9

Soil and Light

Part shade and soil that is moist but has good drainage.

Planting

Plant established plants in partial shade, spacing plants 24 to 36 inches apart.

Special Helps

Mulch in late fall and also in early summer. Cut plant to ground once leaves brown thoroughly. Do not plant bleeding heart in hot, dry areas.