Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart is the classic pink-and-white spring perennial, with divided green leaves and arching stems that suspend pendant, heart-shaped flowers. It forms a rounded clump and brings a strong seasonal display to shaded borders and woodland plantings. ## Garden Use Grow it in partial to full shade in fertile, humus-rich soil that stays evenly moist but drains well. Walters Gardens gives a typical mature size of 30–36 inches tall and wide and USDA hardiness zones 3–9; flowers usually open in late spring, sometimes continuing into early summer in cooler, moist conditions. The [Walters Gardens profile](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=DICSP) also describes the flowers as suitable for cutting. ## Seasonal Care The leafy clump may fade after flowering as it enters summer dormancy. Nearby hostas, geraniums, or sedges can cover the opening left by dormant foliage, an approach recommended in the [Walters Gardens cultural notes](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=DICSP). The [RHS plant profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/5782/dicentra-spectabilis/details) describes the species as clump-forming and suited to partial shade. Water during active spring growth, then let leaves yellow before removing them; divide only when needed and handle the fleshy roots carefully. ## Maintenance