skip to main content

Cottage Gardens

My sad Bleeding Heart.

mystic_dragon72

15 years ago

I inherited this plant and at first I knew what it was... just the common name and after a bit of searching found out what the proper name was for it Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba'. It's one of the "old fashioned" bleeding hearts.

This is how it looked today... pretty sad but still hanging on. From what I have been reading about it online most of these plants have died back to the ground by now. Mine is still there albeit not in the greatest of shapes... I am going to be dividing it this fall and hopefully transplanting it to a more suitable location. That is once that particular bed is ready to accept plants!

Anyways, take a look... not a bad specimen for something I didn't have to pay for! ;-))

P.S. Forgive all the weeds around it as this area is nothing but weeds that have to be cleaned up. One other reason I'm moving this.

ttfn

Mystic.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

gldno1
15 years ago
I think it looks pretty darned good for this time of year. Mine is starting to yellow up some.

Lucky you!
bonnys
15 years ago
It looks pretty good to me too! Mine get early morning sun until about noonish and then shade for the rest of the day. They get pretty big and last a long time. If the roofers hadn't destroyed it, my red one would continue to grow new leaves until it gets really hot in August.
Great price for that ;' )
Related Discussions
HAVE: About my bleeding heart
Q
Comments (1)
That is ok with me. But you did not reply me on the climbing rose! Do you still have it? Balraj
...See More
Problems with my Bleeding Heart Leaves?
Q
Comments (1)
It looks like what is generically called "leaf stress disorder" where a plant may become stressed from sudden changes in light, temperature, or water, and this may cause its new leaves to emerge ill-formed. Once the environmental conditions stabilize, the later leaves develop and unfurl normally.
...See More
My bleeding heart
Q
Comments (2)
How precious! I so miss mine...my Mother had given it to me one Mother's Day...it stayed behind in PA when I moved back home here.
...See More
Went looking for my bleeding hearts, found this instead
Q
Comments (20)
"And I also think if someone uses roundup they have to spray it directly on the plant to kill it. To do this they would have to intentionally trespass." Any herbicide that is sprayed on has an ability to drift - that is, move with the breeze/wind to any neighboring plants. And depending on how much wind might be present at the time, the drift can be significant. So absolutely no need for any trespassing to occur. This is a very common occurrence with regards to pesticide damage on plants in a garden that are never sprayed directly. "One other thing you can try is some roundup yourself . Spray a weed in your yard where it is out of the way. Compare the damage to the weed to the damage to the bleeding hearts plant." Well, this approach is not really going to accomplish much of anything.....except a dead plant or two :-)) Direct spraying of a plant with RoundUp/glyphosate is going to produce a much different result than exposing a plant to herbicide drift. Herbicide drift seldom results in the outright death of a plant but can create distorted, stunted or abnormal growth.....much like we see in the OP's bleeding heart. Unfortunately, this is an issue I encounter very frequently as a horticultural consultant visiting client gardens - folks are just not as careful using herbicides, especially ones as common and popular as RoundUp/glyphosate, as they should or need to be.
...See More
mystic_dragon72
Original Author
15 years ago
I like inheriting plants like this... and since its a mature specimen and ready to be transplanted I can put it where it'll be enjoyed more. This is one of the plants that reminds me of childhood. ;-)) I also inherited a hosta (don't know which variety yet but then again I haven't looked it up.. although it's a green leafed variety), two peony plants that also need transplanting as they are in full shade, a bunch of daffodils and one lone tulip that needs moved so it's out of the way when mowing the grass. Most of these I will be moving to better locations once the beds are all ready.

I realize that Bleeding Hearts usually do not like being transplanted because of their brittle roots but this one has to be moved. You can't really tell the size from the photo there but when it was in full bloom it was almost 3.5 feet tall and about the same width! That's a big plant for this species! You can see the 'natural' division points in the photo though.. and of course I will be following what mother nature is telling me. :-D

This plant is under a mimosa tree so right now it gets dappled shade almost all day... seems to really like it here but I will be moving it under my big maple tree... hopefully I won't have a problem with the roots of that tree.

ttfn
Mystic.
angelcub
15 years ago
Looks waaaay better than mine right now. : ) I have the Alba variety and hope to get a few more in pink and red.

I had to move one because of too much sun. I just made sure I dug out all of the root ball and then some. Actually I had DH do it with my close supervision. ; )

Diana

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Western Bleeding Heart

Delicate heart-shaped flowers belie a tough nature in this woodland spring perennial

Places in the Heart: A Postcard from Maine

By Becky Harris

Weathered Wood, Windowboxes and Glorious Gardens Contribute to Maine's Mid-Coast Charm

FARMHOUSES Houzz Tour: German Tradition Deep in the Heart of Texas

By Mary Jo Bowling

Rooted in architecture from the 1800s, this award-winning home mixes history with the vernacular of today

HOLIDAYS Collecting Christmas Ornaments That Speak to the Heart

By Alison Hodgson

Crafted by hand, bought on vacation or even dug out of the discount bin, ornaments can make for a special holiday tradition

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: An Animated Home for Kids — and Kids at Heart

By Ryan Linnegar Photography

A creative couple make a bold statement with color and clever design

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD My Houzz: Family and Nature at the Heart of It All

By Tamara Armstrong

A designer transforms a run-down house into a clean and comfortable family home

HOUSEPLANTS Meet a Long-Lasting Houseplant With a Forgiving Heart

By creative jewish mom.com

Low light and little watering won't scar Zee Zee plant for life; this East Africa native has a tolerant nature and an exotic beauty

HOUZZ TV FAVORITES Houzz TV: Flickering Virtual Fireplaces to Warm Your Heart

By Bryan Anthony

Sit back and enjoy a crackling fire set to seasonal music and surrounded by ideas for your own dream living room

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Dicentra Eximia Brightens Shady Gardens

By Curtis Adams

This North American bleeding heart species blooms from spring to fall and welcomes bees and hummingbirds

DECORATING GUIDES Room of the Day: A Fresh Mix in a Traditional Colonial

By Becky Harris

A designer combines rich colors and fabrics with lighter pieces in a living room that's the heart of a North Carolina home

Sponsored