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Bleeding Hearts and Dutchman's Breeches

© Jojo Sigurgeirson

About Dicentras
Welcomed by gardeners in shade, Bleeding Hearts don't need much sun. In fact, they can grow and flower well in areas with no direct sun, but benefit from a bit in the morning or at least some brightness. Most come from the forest floors of deep woods and moist canyons, so they're perfectly acclimatized to shaded garden beds and containers.

All dicentras are spring blooming, although some bloom longer than others. Generally, the cooler the location the longer the blooms will last. Either way, once the hot days of summer hit and the plant stops blooming, the leaves die back leaving almost nothing to hint of it's strong spring presence, almost like a spring bulb. It's important to leave the foliage on the plant until the bitter end. This way, they will have a chance to gather sun energy for next year's flowers and growth.

The plants prefer moist soil and like organic matter in the form of compost or leaf-mould mixed into the soil. The roots can be divided in the spring. Another good way to propagate them is to take root cuttings in early summer, just as the leaves are dying back. If propagated by seeds, bleeding hearts should be sown into flats or prepared seed beds in mid-summer.

In total, there are more than 150 species of Dicentra in the world. I hope this short lists gives you a good idea of the types of Bleeding Hearts you will find.

Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn)
Grows in rich woodlands where the soil is deep, from Nova Scotia to Virginia and west to Tennessee. These grow side-by side with Dutchman's Breeches in the wild and are often confused, although the flowers are quite different, having no spurs. The flowers are white and slightly fragrant. The roots are yellowish and squirrels eating them look like they have their own private cob of corn. To -20 degrees celcius.

Dicentra chrysantha (Yellow Bleeding Hearts)
Grows in dry chaparral, especially after burning in Southern California. Yellow flowering with masses of small, upward-facing blooms. To 1.5 metres tall.

Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches)
Grows naturally in cool places in mountainous woods from Nova Scotia to North Carolina and west to Kansas. The plant forms a dense root system in leafy soil, but will grow in fairly poor soils as well. NEEDS SHADE. Produces white flowers from May to September. Hardy to -20 degrees celcius and below. To 25 cm tall.