# Pacific Bleeding Heart (*Dicentra formosa*) The Pacific Bleeding Heart is a beautiful flower with heart-shaped petals. It blooms in lovely pink and white colors and loves to grow in shady places like forests. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 26 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Pacific Bleeding Heart](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dicentra_formosa_6897.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dicentra_formosa_6897.JPG) ## Appearance The Pacific Bleeding Heart has delicate, heart-shaped flowers that dangle in clusters, typically vibrant pink to purplish-red with a distinctive white 'drip' at the bottom. Its fern-like, deeply lobed leaves are a soft blue-green, creating a beautiful contrast. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Papaveraceae - **Genus:** Dicentra ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples sometimes made poultices from its roots, but never eat this plant! - Its roots can spread far underground, helping it pop up in new places like magic! - Look closely! Each 'heart' flower has a tiny 'drop' at the bottom, making it truly unique! - Only strong bumblebees can push open its special flowers to reach the sweet nectar inside! ## Special abilities - **Shade Seeker:** Pacific Bleeding Heart can thrive in cool, shady forest floors, where many other sun-loving plants struggle to grow. - **Ant Courier Service:** It produces seeds with a fatty attachment that ants collect and carry, helping to spread the plant to new places. - **Toxic Shield:** Pacific Bleeding Heart has mild toxins in its leaves, which can help deter hungry animals from eating too much of it. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-45 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Black-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus melanopygus*) — One of its primary pollinators, collecting nectar and pollen. - **Depends on:** Pale field ant (*Formica pallidefulva*) — Carries its seeds away to underground nests, aiding dispersal. - **Eaten by:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer may browse its foliage, especially when young or available. ## 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. - [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. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not eat any part of the flower, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pacific Bleeding Heart? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Pacific Bleeding Heart? 30-45 cm ### How wide does Pacific Bleeding Heart spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Pacific Bleeding Heart? 1-2 cm ### When does Pacific Bleeding Heart bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Pacific Bleeding Heart edible? No ### Is Pacific Bleeding Heart toxic? Mild ### What is Pacific Bleeding Heart's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [E. E. Wilson Wildlife Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-e-wilson-wildlife-area) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Fairhaven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairhaven) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Santiam State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/santiam-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest [View all places to see Pacific Bleeding Heart](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pacific-bleeding-heart) ## 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*) --- Source: [Pacific Bleeding Heart: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-bleeding-heart)