Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra  Spectabilis)

This is a showy Perennial that prefers damp shade and slightly acidic soil.

 Bleeding Hearts are usually found in Pink. You can also find (Spectabilis alba), the White variety at some Garden Centers. It usually does not get as showy, but looks nice and adds interest when planted among the more vigorous Pink ones.

Bleeding Hearts grow to three feet tall and four feet wide in zones 3 to 9. A damp, shady location will keep them happy, especially if it is slightly Acidic. A pH of 5.5 to 7.0 will do. A 4" Mulch of Tree Bark will help conserve the moisture they prefer.

They will live for years and multiply freely by their seeds. The blooming season can be lengthened by removal of spent Blooms. An early  Spring application of your favorite acidic fertilizer will increase the plants size and the profusion of blooms.

Division in early Spring will increase your plants and make the original Plant more vigorous. When new growth is 2" high, remove the parent plant carefully and divide it into cup-sized sections.

Replant them in soil laced with Acidic Fertilizer according to the package instructions. Mulch them with 4" of Tree Bark and water them daily until they are 12" tall. Keep soil moist during dry spells.

 

You can gather dried seeds in the the Fall and plant them outdoors 1/4" deep in finely sifted soil. 1 year later you may want to open a roadside stand selling Bleeding Hearts.
 
 

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