Zone 7 Shade Perennial-Fernleaf Bleeding Heart
Shade Loving Bleeding Heart
I have always seen this in the catalogs but never live and in person, so I figured the bleeding heart name was more of a metaphor than anything else. That is until I visited a nursery some time ago where they had several examples of this plant and I was shocked to see that the little flowers literally look like Bleeding Valentine Hearts! So if you are looking for something that is really interesting and unique, the Bleeding heart may be just for your.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are some bleeding hearts that will go dormant and die back to the ground in the middle of the summer until returning the following spring. That is not the case with the Fernleaf Bleeding Heart because this one blooms from the end of spring all the way until frost with fine little pink bleeding heart blooms. The Bleeding heart grows to 15-18 inches tall and 12-18 inches wide. This particular variety has dissected gray blue foliage that is almost fuzzy looking. Care is pretty simple as long as it is planted in a shady spot that is not soggy. Well drained organic rich soil is important for the Bleeding Heart to bloom. Soil should also be kept somewhat moist so regular watering is required during droughts. This one is hardy (zones 3-9) enough so that just about any one in the US can enjoy it. You may have a difficult time finding this at the local home centers, I have never seen one, but you can certainly get it online. This is one that has to be seen live to really appreciate so I suggest you get your Bleeding Heart here.