Ornamental · Papaveraceae
Bleeding Heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Give it shade, steady moisture, and rich soil, and bleeding heart dangles a row of pink hearts from every arching stem each spring.
Partial shade
Every 3–7 days
USDA 3–9
2–3 ft · 0.6–0.9 m
Overview
Bleeding heart takes its name from what it shows up close: a row of plump, heart-shaped flowers strung along each arching stem, every one pinched to a point at the base where a small white drop hangs free like a falling bead. The blooms line up evenly down the stem and nod in the same direction, pink shells over the white inner petal. It belongs to the poppy family and traces back to the woodlands of eastern Asia, where it grows in the cool, dappled light beneath taller trees.
This is a hardy perennial that comes back for years and rides out winters down to USDA zone 3. The flowers open in spring, often while the soft, deeply cut leaves are still unfolding, and the row of hearts keeps coming through April and May. By midsummer the plant changes in a way that startles new gardeners watching it for the first time.
As the heat builds, the leaves drain from green to yellow, soften, and sink as the plant slips into summer dormancy until the next spring. The roots stay alive and firm underground the whole time. Set later-rising plants beside it to fill the space its fading foliage leaves, and once settled it asks for very little.
Care
The short version: plant it in partial to full shade in rich, humus-filled soil, keep that soil evenly moist through spring and summer, and never let it stand in soggy ground over winter.
Light
Bleeding heart wants partial to full shade, the cool, dappled light it would catch under trees in the wild. A little morning sun is fine, but hot afternoon sun scorches the soft leaves brown at the edges and pushes the plant into dormancy early.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist through spring and summer, since this plant cannot take summer drought. Steady moisture holds the leaves green and firm longer before they fade. Just never let it stand in soggy, waterlogged ground, especially over winter, or the fleshy roots rot.
Soil
Plant it in moist, well-drained soil rich in humus, the loose, leafy, dark ground of a woodland floor. It is not fussy about acidity and grows well anywhere from pH 6.0 to 8.0, so fork in plenty of compost.
Humidity
Ordinary garden air suits it fine, so there is no level to chase. What this plant draws on is moisture in the soil, not moisture in the air around the leaves.
Feeding
A light feeder, it does well with compost or organic matter worked in each spring, or a balanced fertilizer through the growing season. Dark, humus-filled soil often covers its needs with no extra help.
Pruning
There is no real shaping to do here. Snip off the spent flower stems once the hearts have dropped, then cut back the yellowing leaves as they sink in midsummer. Leave the roots in place and fresh growth returns next spring.
Size & spacing
A mature clump arches up to 2 to 3 feet (61 to 91 cm) tall and fans out 18 to 30 inches (46 to 76 cm) wide. Give each plant that much room, and account for the gap its arching stems leave behind once they sink into dormancy in summer.
When to plant
Bleeding heart runs on a spring schedule. Dormant roots or divisions go in during spring or fall, the rows of pink hearts open in April and May, and the soft foliage yellows and sinks by midsummer as the plant slides into dormancy for the year.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Seed is slow and difficult; division is preferred over indoor sowing.
- Plant: Plant dormant roots or divisions in spring or fall in a shaded, woodland-type site.
- Harvest: Blooms in spring, typically April to May, often before leaves fully emerge.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Bleeding heart is an easy plant with only a few quirks, and most are not really problems. The big one, the midsummer collapse of the leaves, is normal and nothing to fix. Match what you see on the plant below before you reach for the trowel.
Plant rotting, collapsing, or never coming back
Roots that have gone soft and mushy under the fingers point to wet feet, the damage that comes from soggy, poorly drained ground, with winter wet the worst of it. Coarse organic matter forked through the bed opens the soil so water slips past the fleshy roots, and a site where no puddle ever stands keeps them firm. Bleeding heart wants its soil damp through the growing months and freely draining once the season closes.
Fix:
- Improve drainage by amending with organic matter
- Relocate to a well-drained site
Leaves turning yellow and dying back in midsummer
When the green leaves wash over to pale yellow and slump toward the ground, what you are watching is summer dormancy, not death. The heat and dry soil that follow the spring bloom pull the plant down into its roots, and it slides through that change every year. Moist soil keeps the leaves green and standing longer, the broad foliage of a hosta or the fronds of a fern fill the bare patch, and the roots left in the ground push fresh shoots up the next spring.
Fix:
- Keep soil moist to prolong foliage
- Interplant with hostas or ferns to fill the gap
- Leave roots undisturbed; growth resumes the following spring
Sticky, twisted new shoots speckled with small insects
The pinhead-sized soft bodies crowded along the pale spring shoots are aphids, and the glossy, tacky coating beneath them is the honeydew they leave as they feed, which is what curls and warps the tender tissue. A hard stream of water knocks the clusters off the stems, and insecticidal soap finishes any that creep back. Less nitrogen means less of the soft, sappy new growth they crowd onto.
Fix:
- Spray off with a strong stream of water
- Apply insecticidal soap if needed
Toxicity
This is a plant to keep away from mouths. Every part holds isoquinoline alkaloids, packed most densely into the brittle roots and the soft foliage, and it is listed as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses and a known poison for grazing livestock. People should not eat it either, and even handling the leaves can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves and keep children and animals from chewing it.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
A cat that bites into the soft leaves usually drools and brings its food back up, with diarrhea close behind. A larger mouthful of leaf can carry it on to tremors and even convulsions, so the plant belongs out of reach.
Dogs Mild
A dog that chews the fleshy foliage drools, vomits, and passes loose stools. Enough leaf lets the alkaloids set off shaking and seizures, so a large helping is worth a vet call.
Horses Moderate
Horses feel it harder than the small pets. Grazing the leaves and stems brings drooling, an upset gut, and diarrhea, and a heavier mouthful can tip into trembling and convulsions.
Rabbits Toxic
Rabbits usually leave bleeding heart untouched, but the same alkaloids steep through the leaves and the brittle roots alike, so it is safest kept well out of their reach.
Livestock Toxic
For grazing stock such as cattle, sheep, and goats the plant is a documented poison. Animals that work through a quantity of leaf can stagger and convulse, so it belongs well clear of pasture.
Birds Toxic
The alkaloids packed into the leaves and roots that harm mammals make them a poor bet for birds too. Poultry and pet birds should be kept from pecking at any part of the plant.
People Caution
No part of bleeding heart is food, and eating a quantity can sicken a person through the isoquinoline alkaloids. Even handling the soft foliage can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves and keep curious children from putting it in their mouths.
Contact with the foliage can cause skin irritation in sensitive people; wear gloves when handling.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
The species itself, with its rose-pink hearts, is the one most gardeners grow, but a few named selections change the flower color or the leaf color or push heat tolerance a little further. These are the ones worth knowing.
Alba
A form whose hearts open pure white instead of pink, and which takes summer heat a touch better than the species.
Gold Heart
Carries golden-yellow leaves whose bright cast throws the rose-pink hearts into sharp relief.
Valentine
Hangs red-and-white flowers from dark red stems, giving the whole plant a deeper, moodier cast.
How to propagate
Bleeding heart is grown from division rather than seed, which is slow and fussy. Splitting an established clump gives you ready-made plants that flower far sooner.
DivisionModerate
Divide the clump in spring or fall while dormant or just emerging. · Reaches mature size within about 2 to 3 seasons.
Division is the dependable way to make more plants, worked in spring or fall while the clump is dormant or just breaking ground. The roots are pale, brittle, and fleshy and snap under rough handling, so lift and pull them apart gently, then tuck them straight into moist, shaded, humus-rich soil. Each new piece needs 2 to 3 seasons to thicken into a full clump.
Myths
Bleeding heart is harmless around pets because it is only a pretty ornamental flower.
Those dangling pink hearts hide real risk, since every part holds isoquinoline alkaloids and the ASPCA lists the plant as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Chewing the soft tissue brings drooling, vomiting, and diarrhea, and a large dose can lead to tremors and convulsions. A delicate flower can still be toxic, so keep pets and livestock from grazing it.
The plant has died once its leaves yellow and vanish in summer.
That yellowing and collapse is the plant's normal habit, not its end. The fleshy roots stay alive and firm underground through the dormant stretch, and the whole plant pushes new shoots up the following spring as if nothing happened.