# Bleeding Heart (*Dicentra spectabilis*)

Bleeding Hearts are beautiful flowers with unique heart-shaped petals that hang delicately from arching stems. They bloom in spring and add a touch of magic to gardens with their romantic appearance.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Bleeding Heart Flower, Lady's Locket

![Bleeding Heart](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lamprocapnos_spectabilis_Serduszka_okaza%C5%82e_2017-05-01_02.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lamprocapnos_spectabilis_Serduszka_okaza%C5%82e_2017-05-01_02.jpg)

## Appearance

The Bleeding Heart has striking heart-shaped flowers, usually pink or red, with a small white 'drop' emerging from the bottom. Some varieties are pure white. Its delicate flowers hang in graceful arching rows along the stems.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ranunculales
- **Family:** Papaveraceae
- **Genus:** Lamprocapnos

## Interesting facts

- Despite its beauty, eating any part of it can cause an upset tummy if you're not careful!
- Its quirky nickname, "Lady-in-a-bath," comes from cleverly opening a flower to see a tiny figure inside!
- Some older names for it were "Dutchman's Breeches" or "Lyre Flower" because of the unique shape.
- The seeds come with a yummy fatty snack attached, tempting ants to carry them away for the plant!

## Special abilities

- **Seed Snack Service:** Bleeding Heart seeds have a fatty attachment, an elaiosome, that ants love to eat, helping the plant spread its seeds far and wide.
- **Early Bird Bloomer:** Bleeding Heart quickly sprouts and blooms in early spring, soaking up sunlight before taller trees leaf out and create too much shade.
- **Summer Sleeper:** This plant can go dormant in hot summer months, allowing it to rest and conserve energy until cooler, moister conditions return.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-90 cm
- **Spread:** 60-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [bumblebee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bumblebee) (*Bombus terrestris*) — Helps transfer pollen between flowers.
- **Symbiotic with:** European red ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — Carries seeds, aiding in plant dispersal.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Pendulous Form](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pendulous-form): Describing a plant or anatomical structure that droops or hangs downwards.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy the beauty of Bleeding Hearts from a safe distance and avoid touching or ingesting the flowers.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Bleeding Heart?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Bleeding Heart?

60-90 cm

### How wide does Bleeding Heart spread?

60-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on Bleeding Heart?

3-5 cm

### When does Bleeding Heart bloom?

Spring

### Is Bleeding Heart edible?

No

### Is Bleeding Heart toxic?

Mild

### What is Bleeding Heart's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Bleeding Heart: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bleeding-heart)