Beneath each heart shape sticks out a white petal with a red streak.
The long, arching stems give the plant a cascading effect.
This plant, which is native to Asia, can reach up to three feet in maturity.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Bleeding heart plants are in thesame family as poppiesand are toxic to people and pets.
Plant the bleeding heart’s bare roots so the crown is about 1 to 2 inches below the soil.
If it’s planted too deeply, the crown may rot.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
A woodland garden is ideal for a bleeding heart plant.
Light
Bleeding heart does best inpartial shade, but it can also handle full shade.
Note that direct sun can cause the plant to go dormant early and cut its blooming period short.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Soil
Bleeding heart prefers humus-rich, moist, well-draining soil with lots oforganic matter.
A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH is best.
Water
Bleeding heart plants like lightly moist soil.
Bleeding Heart ‘Valentine’The Spruce / Grant Webster
It doesn’t tolerate soggy or dry soils very well.
But confirm the soil doesn’t stay waterlogged, which can lead to root rot.
Also, as a woodland plant, the bleeding heart does well with a top dressing ofleaf mold.
Want more gardening tips?
Refrain from deadheading (removing the spent blooms) if you want the flowers to go to seed.
Propagation by cuttings is best done in spring to early summer.
If you are starting from seeds in the garden, sow them in the fall.
Put the pot in a plastic bag, and place it in the freezer for six to eight weeks.
Remove the pot, and gradually reintroduce the plant to light and warmer conditions.
The change in temperature and exposure to sunlight will allow the seeds to germinate and sprout.
Bleeding hearts also tend to self-seed in the garden, though not invasively.
The tiny seedlings can be carefully dug up and transplanted.
Opt for a large container that’s at least a 12-inch pot with drainage holes.
Unglazed clay is best to allow excess moisture to evaporate through its walls.
Use a quality, well-draining potting mix.
Fill around it with potting mix, and water well.
Get Your Repotting Gear
Overwintering
Bleeding heart will naturally die back during the winter season.
However, the roots should survive the cold weather, even if the plant appears dead above ground.
Keep watering the soil up until the first frost.
Remove the mulch as the ground thaws in the spring.
The easiest and least invasive treatment for aphids and scale is using aninsecticidal soaporneem oil.
If the plant has turned black and is foul-smelling, it’s rotting and can infect other nearby plants.
Pull the plant and dispose of it in a sealed bag.
If it was in a container, sterilize the entire container and throw out the soil.
If the diseased plant was pulled from your garden, treat the area with a fungicide.
Note that this plant takes some time to establish and might not flower in its first growing season.
Also, ensure that the plant stays out of the direct sunlight, which can hinder blooming.
Common issues stem from inadequate watering or pest and disease problems.
A fungicide will remove the problem.
Treatment with a fungicide orbaking soda solutioncan neutralize the fungus if caught early.
As the disease progresses, the leaves drop and the plant will die.
Yellowing Leaves
A bleeding heart plant naturallyturns yellowand dies back as the temperature increases.
The plant is entering dormancy, which is its normal growth cycle.
Adjust those conditions as necessary.
Additionally, yellowing can also be a sign of a fungal disease emerging, such as verticillium or fusarium.
A plant with this disease is not salvageable and should be destroyed before it spreads to other plants.
Initial signs will be wilting, leading to all-over browning or the plant beginning to rot.
Botrytis appears as a gray mold that overtakes the plant.
Remove all of the soil, discard it, and sterilize the container before using it again.
Seal the plant in a plastic bag before discarding it.
Bleeding hearts will self-seed as long as the blooms remain on the plants.
They can live indefinitely in your garden, yet they don’t spread uncontrollably.
The flowers disappear in the heat of the summer.
