How to Grow Bleeding Hearts: Essential Tips for Truly Unique Spring Blooms

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis) is a truly unique plant. With rows and rows of heart-shaped flowers that split open to reveal a white teardrop, it's a specimen that fits its name perfectly. Naturally growing on forest floors, it's used to life under the tree canopy and therefore a favorite in shade gardens.

It's an early spring bloomer, speckling the darkest parts of the landscape with pink and white while other plants are just starting to wake up. After blooming it fades into the background, dying back completely just as summer comes into full swing, and waiting for next year's show-stopping entrance.

Let's dive into everything there is to know about growing this signature flower.

Bleeding Heart Quick Facts

Planting Bleeding Hearts

Bleeding Heart Soil Requirements

Bleeding hearts are woodland plants, meaning they thrive in rich, organic soil that would normally be found on the forest floor. Soil should be neutral to slightly acidic (6.0–7.0) and well draining.

Bleeding Heart Light Requirements

In keeping with mimicking the forest floor, it's best to grow bleeding hearts in partial shade to full shade. The cooler your climate is, the more direct sun you can get away with, but in the south afternoon shade is a must if you want to keep your foliage from burning.

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Step-by-Step Planting Guide

If you're planting a bleeding heart, odds are it's either a tuber, a bare root plant, or it's growing in a pot. The steps for planting a container-grown and a bare root bleeding heart plant are more or less the same.

1. Dig a hole in a spot with partial to full shade.
2. Mix in a generous amount of compost.
3. Place the plant in the hole.
   1. For bare root bleeding hearts, the roots should point down and the crown should sit about an inch above the soil line.
   2. For bleeding heart tubers, the roots should point down and the "eye" or growing node should point up, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the soil line.
   3. For container plants, the soil line should be level with the top of the root ball.
4. Fill in the hole and pat the soil down gently.
5. Water thoroughly.

Transplanting Bleeding Hearts

You should transplant a bleeding heart when it's dormant, either in the spring or the fall. It needs to be done delicately, because the roots are very fleshy and fragile. Dig a hole in the new location first, then gently lift the root ball and transfer it to its new home. Be sure the crown is at the soil line or even an inch above – covering it at all can lead to crown rot and death. Backfill the hole and water deeply.

How to Care for Bleeding Hearts

Watering Bleeding Hearts

Bleeding heart plants like soil that's kept consistently moist but not soggy. Standing water is dangerous, because in the shade it has a tendency to stick around and can lead to root rot. You should water a bleeding heart about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week during the growing season. Once it goes dormant in mid-summer, you can cut back.

Bleeding Heart Fertilizer

Bleeding hearts grow well in rich soil with lots of organic matter, like you'd find on the forest floor. That being said, they aren’t heavy feeders except during their short blooming period. All they need is a thin layer of compost or a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, applied in early spring as new growth emerges.

Mulching Bleeding Hearts

Bleeding hearts do well under a 2-inch layer of organic mulch, like shredded bark or leaf mold. This mimics a forest floor, keeping the soil cool and retaining moisture. Leave an exposed ring around the stems to prevent rot.

Pruning Bleeding Hearts

Pruning bleeding hearts correctly is all about timing. After the flowers fade, you may be tempted to cut the leaves back. Don't! They're still photosynthesizing, and need to keep doing so to store energy for next year's blooms.

In mid-to-late summer, the leaves will naturally turn yellow and wither. This is the sign that the plant is entering its dormant phase and is done storing up energy. Once the leaves are brown and brittle, you can cut the stems down to about 1–2 inches above the soil line.

Bleeding Heart Care Calendar

How to Propagate Bleeding Hearts

The easiest way to propagate bleeding hearts is by division, which should be done either in early spring, just as new growth starts, or in late fall when the plant is dormant. Dig up the root clump and use a sharp, clean knife to divide the fleshy roots, ensuring each section has at least one "eye" or growing point. Replant each new clump separately and water frequently until it's established.

You can also grow bleeding hearts from seed, though it'll probably be years before you have a large flowering plant. Harvest seed pods after they turn brown. They need a period of cold in order to germinate, so it's best to plant them outdoors in autumn – they'll stratify naturally over winter and come up in spring.

Bleeding Heart Winter Care

By the time winter rolls around, a bleeding heart plant should be completely dormant. It's actually incredibly winter hardy, and can survive in climates as cold as USDA zone 3. There's not much you need to do to winterize a bleeding heart, though it's good practice to cut the stems down to just above the ground and apply a heavy layer of mulch.

Common Bleeding Heart Problems

The problems that befall bleeding heart plants are the ones that usually strike in shady spots. The most common bleeding heart diseases are powdery mildew and fungal leaf spot. Common bleeding heart pests include aphids, slugs, and snails. A lot can be done to prevent all of these problems by ensuring good air flow and avoiding overcrowding.

Growing Bleeding Hearts in Containers

It's possible to grow bleeding hearts in containers, although a few things have to be taken into consideration. The main one is size: bleeding hearts can grow very large, both above and below ground. They have big, fleshy roots that need space to thrive, so you should choose as big a container as possible. The container also has to have excellent drainage, to avoid root rot. Be sure to place your container in a spot that gets partial to full shade, especially in the afternoon.

Growing Bleeding Hearts Indoors

You can grow a bleeding heart as a houseplant. You just have to be prepared for it to disappear for part of the year. In summer, your plant will start to wither and dry out. It's not dying – it's just going dormant. Cut back the foliage once it's completely browned, and store the pot in a cool place. When winter comes, move it outdoors. It needs a period of cold to ensure the following spring's blooms. In early spring, move the pot back inside, and you'll be rewarded with a flush of new growth and beautiful flowers.