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Florida Gardening

Bleeding Hearts?? Clarification & Care tips Please!

13 years ago

Ok so a year ago (Yeah I am so very late asking about this) I searched for Bleeding hearts online and found these pics and fell in love with this plant.. --> http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/define-bleeding-heart-1.jpg

I read that it needed lots of moist ground but loves the indirect sun and shady home areas and so I was going to give it a try in my front garden. However, when I went to my not so local nursery I was told this plant --> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2236/2056252027_09fe558969.jpg Was the one I was looking for. That it was called the same thing. Even though I knew the pics were not correct flower type I wanted, They were still these were very pretty and my daughter fell in love with it. So I bought it.

Is one considered a flower and one considered as a vine but both are called Bleeding Hearts?

How far can you cut them down? When is the proper time to do it? I live in Davenport FL zone 9. A couple weeks ago mine were all dead and dry, leaves falling all over. In general nasty looking and since I needed to fix the trellis it was on I went ahead and cut them all down to about a foot or two from ground level (give or take) However only 1 of 6 areas have any new growth on them. Did I just kill it without realizing it..? Help!

Also when is it the BEST time to prune them down?? Is there a specific Month that is best in zone 9? I have lost my little ID sheet that came with the plant and as such want to make sure I have the correct info.

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Comments (2)

gardengimp
13 years ago
Yes, they are both commonly called Bleeding Hearts, the second is a Clerodendrum thomsoniae. I have some that you well and truly can not kill. You can dig up one little bitty sprig of a root and stick it in the ground someplace else in rainy season and it will regrow. Mine froze back to the ground; well except the one that ended up sharing covers with the tomato. They will come back; give them a bit more warm weather.

You can really prune them anytime you like. When they get too big and lanky, after a freeze. I pruned mine back to 6".

I love the first Bleeding Hearts, it is a Dicentra. For me, it was a winter annual in South Florida. Have not tried it up here in Central Florida.

~dianne

Here is a link that might be useful: Clerodendrum - Bleeding Hearts
newgarden5
Original Author
13 years ago
Yeah! Thank you so much for the info gardengimp. I really appreciate the time you took to answer. Have you tried growing that first one..?? If so what result have you had aside from the winter annual.
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