One of my favorite flowers growing up was the Lamprocapnos spectabilis, commonly known as the Bleeding Heart. I am fascinated by its shape and the vibrancy of color. As I grew older, the Bleeding Heart took on a new shine that came with age and understanding.

My grandmother told me stories of how these lovely flowers were planted after a love was lost. Families planted them around private burial grounds. Women planted them after being scorned. She told me how on quiet and magical nights you could hear these delicate flowers cry on the wind.

The romance and heartbreak she conjured around the Bleeding Heart while telling me old wives tales endeared the flower to me even more. I am considerably older now than I was then and my grandmother has long since passed. Still, I keep those stories close to my own heart and appreciate the spirit behind them.

Mythology has always surrounded the Bleeding Heart. Tales have spread from Ancient Greece threading their way through Germany’s history and giving life to Japanese wisdom stories. Fables and tragedies surround the Bleeding Heart for ages of generations past.

The Plant

The Bleeding Heart is a mounded type foliage with reaching stems. The flower resembles a heart with a split point with what appears to a single drop of blood suspended. The flowers are most commonly pink or white. The Bleeding Heart is recommended for planting zones 3-9 and enjoys partially shady, cool, moist climates. The flowers bloom in late spring and early summer.

Do not overwater the Bleeding Heart, most often natural rainfall will be plentiful. In the case of a dry spell, water frequently; enough to ensure the roots are wet without drowning the plant.  Make sure to apply a thin layer of compost around the base of the plant and root area followed by a couple of inches of mulch each spring. Cut the plant back after the first major frost.

On the plus side, Bleeding Hearts are a great deterrent for deer. On the minus side, the plant is deadly if ingested by humans or wildlife.