skip to main content

Northwestern Gardening

Dicentra (bleeding heart) didn't bloom this year

17 years ago

The bleeding heart in my garden didn't bloom this year, which I would chalk up to their location having gone from light shade to deep shade since they were planted. However, the plants are looking great, not at all light-starved, and the wild dicentra in my woodland didn't bloom this year either. So before I relocate these plants, I thought I'd poll the Western WA gardeners (I'm in the Cascade foothills) to see if their bleeding hearts bloomed their little hearts out, or kept to themselves as mine did.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

Embothrium
17 years ago
How odd, both yours and the ones in the woods. I've got a dribble of unhappy 'Langtrees' that are under some ever-larger paper birches that continue to flower every year despite diminishing overall. Some barely-still-there 'Alba' have also continued to bloom under an Alaska cedar/purple filbert overburdon.

If you are in the mountains you could be in 7, to be in 6 you would have to be in eastern WA.

Here is a link that might be useful: Washington Zone Map
lilydude
17 years ago
My white bleeding hearts bloomed just fine in SW Portland in part shade.
Related Discussions
Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)
Q
Comments (4)
There are a lot of plants that just look nice with bleeding hearts, but you're talking about something to specifically take the place of the plant, right? I'd love something like that too - ideally a perennial that's just coming up as the bleeding heart is dying down. Of course the other option is just to put in shade tolerant annuals like the coleus you're considering.
...See More
Dicentra bleeding heart planted among roots--question
Q
Comments (3)
I've got different dicentra all over the garden. Which one are we talking about? Fern leaf or traditional? I've had no issues with the traditional - I just pick em up and shove them into various spots around the garden....The fern leaf for me at least have been more tricky
...See More
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectibilis)
Q
Comments (11)
I have a couple of them that are doing well. They didn't bloom the first year. Last year they had 2-3 little blooms. But this year they really put on a show. They have gotten about 25" long stems and are covered stem to stern with blooms. I even went so far as to yank out a bunch of larkspur growing up around them so I could see them. I have them on the north side of the house in full shade and planted in very sandy soil amended with compost. In the same bed I have an oak leaf hydrangea that's over 5' tall, some ferns, a echinacea (have no idea how that got in this bed), hydangea mycrophyla, rock rose, and a few other things whose names escape me now. But it seems to like that shady, sandy spot. Cheryl
...See More
How to extend growing season of bleeding hearts(dicentra spectabilis)
Q
Comments (49)
Heruga, You’re nice to help the residents, they must appreciate that! I purchased 3 more dicentra ‘alba’ this year, they have lovely pure white flowers. I also love the dicentra ‘valentine’ on which the flowers tend toward red rather than the clear pink. All are lovely! I have a golden foliage one, very pretty but it catches my eye, making me feel like it’s fall all summer long. (Our main fall color is gold). My problem isn’t that the dicentra turn brown (due to my cool climate, they stay green), rather they get terribly floppy and that’s why I’m moving them to deeper shade, we don’t have maples but lots of birch. i like calling them lady’s locket, doubt I’ll ever get used to lamprocapnos
...See More
dottyinduncan
17 years ago
I had a wonderful show in part shade.
Ratherbgardening
17 years ago
Mine bloomed fine and one had a repeat bloom just a couple of weeks ago, which I've never had before. My wild ones still have some blooms.
dgbabysday
8 years ago
I live in PA and have 2 bleeding hearts in almost all shade and neither has ever bloomed yet?? they are two years old..WHATS GOING ON?
toad_ca
8 years ago
I'm Western WA too, and mine bloomed a little. Definitely less than usual with no shade/light changes.
macranthos
8 years ago
My native Oregon bleeding heart has been blooming since March and is still going strong in full sun in sw Portland.

Related Stories

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

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Western Bleeding Heart

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

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

DECORATING GUIDES Modern Life Makes Room for Blooms

Vintage florals still look lush and lovely on upholstery, curtains, wallpaper and more

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Plants for Colorful Fall Blooms in the Drought-Tolerant Garden

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Want fall color but not a big water bill? Consider these not-too-thirsty fall bloomers

NATIVE PLANTS Great Native Plant: Grow Wild Quinine for Its Unique Clusters of Blooms

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Get connoisseur cred and unique blooms with this uncommon plant. Bonus assets: It’s low maintenance and drought tolerant

MOST POPULAR Spring Gardens Are Blooming — Here’s What to Do in April

By Annie Thornton

Get the guide you need for gardening in your U.S. region, with tasks, climate-appropriate plantings and more

FALL GARDENING Reflecting on a Gardening Year

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Mistakes and successes, surprises and comforts. The garden helps us grow in new ways every year

DECORATING GUIDES 13 Ways to Be Happier in Your Home This Year

By Laura Gaskill

Savor a richer experience in your house without Herculean efforts or spending a fortune, by focusing on what's important

HOUSEPLANTS 8 Houseplants You Can't Kill

By J. Peterson Garden Design

They're forgiving and let you forget. Houseplants don't get any easier than this

Sponsored

More Discussions

Gossler Farms Nursery visit...Embothrium purchase

7

Arctic blast - NW Edition

27

My favorite plant, Easter 2024

4

We wants it! (But will it rule them all?)

10

winter losses on new plants

2