19 Bleeding Heart Plant Facts: Flower, Cultivation, Types And More

Flowers of the poppy family are adoring to eyes and look pretty on a lawn or garden.

A bleeding heart is a pretty plant that belongs to the flower family of the poppy. Although the bleeding heart plant is found everywhere today, the origin of the beautiful bleeding hearts goes back to Asia.

In the 19th century, the bleeding heart species instantly caught everyone's eye in the European nations and the United States of America due to its beautiful and decorative petals and appearance. It is one of the plants that not only look beautiful in a garden but also add beauty to the indoors under full shade.

But what are some fascinating facts about bleeding hearts? What is the growing season of this beautiful plant? Read the following article to get engrossed in the world of beautiful flowers!

Bleeding Heart Plant Facts

The bleeding heart plant is said to be one of the most ornamental plants globally. Let's explore some other bleeding heart plant facts:

• The best place to find these pinkish green flowers is moist forests. These plants are usually from 1-3 ft ( 0.3-0.9 m) tall, and their width is around 3 ft (0.9 m).
• Bleeding heart plants are developed in a rhizome under the ground. This is where these plants store nutrients and the required energy for further developing the flowers and the leaves in the early spring, and the blooming continues to the late spring and early summer.
• The bleeding heart leaves are bluish-green, and they have three leaflets. These leaves are compound leaves. It's a deciduous plant that sheds its leaves near the end of summer and not the early summer. 
• The name bleeding heart comes from its rather appealing yet fascinating look. The bleeding heart has pinkish green flowers that are heart-shaped. Each petal is white in color from the inside. A single white-colored drop hangs on the bottom side of the plant. This gives it the appropriate name of the bleeding heart, just as what it looks like a blood drop hanging from a heart.
• The raceme or the horizontal clusters in which the flowers of the bleeding heart are arranged each contain about 20 flowers.
• These wonderful flowers are perfect flowers (they have both types of reproductive organs). The blooming season in the life cycle of this plant is spring (both early and late spring) and summer.
• These flowers are rich in nectar. They are hence a great attraction among the hummingbirds, which are primary pollinators of bleeding hearts.

Different Types Of Bleeding Heart Plant

Bleeding hearts, known as the Dicentra, are a genus of eight species of herbaceous plants and are native to North America and Eastern Asia. The lifespan of a bleeding heart plant is anywhere between five to eight years. Although if it is taken good care of, it may live longer. Let's look at many types of these wonderful plants.

• The species of the Dicentra are Pacific bleeding heart, fringed bleeding heart, squirrel corn, Dutchman's breeches, steer's head, Dicentra pauciflora, and Dicentra nevadensis.
• Aurora, Burning hearts, Amore Pink, Candy Hearts, Fringed Bleeding hearts, Ivory Hearts, King of Hearts Langtrees, Pearl Drops, Red Fountain, Silversmith, Snowdrift, and the Gold heart are some other types of bleeding hearts.
• The Gold heart is unique because even though the whole bleeding heart seems pink, the tips of the heart of the flowers are white, and Hummingbirds are the most attracted to this plant.

Ideal Growing Conditions For A Bleeding Heart Plant

This beautiful plant is said to thrive in full shade or partial sunlight. Let's explore some other facts about how best to grow a bleeding heart:

• The very reason that it can live in the full shade with only some sunlight makes it an ideal indoor plant. This flora is perennial and not evergreen. It dies back to the ground in the late summer, right after its blooming season, which is in late spring.
• To cultivate bleeding hearts, one needs minimal or very little effort. Yet, the bleeding heart adds a decorative and amazing aura to the garden. It is observed to grow well on fertile soil, which is well-drained. In cold climates, it grows well in areas that have direct sunlight. In a warm climate, partial and full shade are perfect conditions to grow this flora. So, this is one of the flowers that are perfect for both an outdoor garden and an indoor garden.
• To take care of a bleeding heart, ensure it is planted in organic soil, which is properly maintained moist by regular watering, and compost is worked in the soil before planting in the spring or fall.

Facts About Bleeding Heart Flower

Did you know that a bleeding heart fruit is a green seed pod that is fully filled with black seeds? And ants are said to play a significant role in dispersing the seed of these wonderful plants. Let's take a look at some brilliantly interesting facts about this fascinating flower.

• Elaiosome is a white and fleshy part of each seed in these plants. Elaiosome is rich in lipids and hence can often attract ants.
• The propagation of these plants is done through the seed and also the root cuttings to maintain a proper life cycle.
• Although incredibly beautiful, these plants are capable of poisoning cattle and causing extreme irritation in humans.
• These plants can act as good sources of food for the larvae of snails, some butterfly species, and some aphids.
• Hurtful bruises and sprains can be treated with the roots of these wonderful heart-shaped flowers. Some Native Americans treated stomach pain, insect bites, cough, and dizziness with these flowers.
• Bleeding hearts are said to be fire resistant and can tolerate drought. Some types produce golden yellow, fern-like leaves during the growing season.