Dicentra spectabilis Valentine - Bleeding Heart

A delicate, elegant herbaceous perennial grown mainly for its striking flowers.

This is one plant that really does live up to its common name as its heart shaped flowers have a red coating with a white centre and are formed in sprays of arching stems, they make for a beautiful sight in the spring as they emerge from deeply serrated red foliage which gradually turns green as the summer sets in.

Dicentra is a woodland plant by nature and loves the dappled shade that accompanies that type of setting, although it will tolerate a sunny spot also. It is happy in most soils but prefers a fertile soil that does not waterlog. Mixed in with other herbaceous plants really brings out the best in this plant and even underplanted with spring bulbs which will set off its amazing, unusual flowers.

It will reach not much more than half a metre in height so consider this when mixing with other plants as you want those flowers to hover above surrounding foliage. Cut back dead foliage and mulch in early spring.

Supplied in approx. 2-3 litre containers.