Dicentra spectabilis f. alba

Bleeding heart is a bit old-fashioned yet beautiful perennial commonly found in European gardens. It comes from Siberia and colder parts of China and Korea. Alba is a form with pure white heart-shaped flowers that bloom a little longer than its pink-flowered sister, from mid May until early July. The flowers are borne on arching stems and the whole plant looks so robust and shrubby that it is difficult to believe that this is a perennial that will soon, a few weeks after flowering, loose most of its leaves and stems as it goes dormant until the next year. The leaves are 20-40 cm long, divided and lobed, and resemble those of tree peonies.

Bleeding heart will grow in almost any constantly moist garden soil. It does not need full sun but if grown in full sun it requires some extra watering. It will thrive in humus-rich, neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Fertilizing is advised in poor soils in spring when flowering stems are being formed. All parts are slightly toxic and may cause allergies. It is fully hardy to min. -34°C (USDA zone 4) but allegedly takes much deeper frost (down to zone 3 or even 2).

Last update 16-01-2014