How to Plant Dicentra

How to Grow Dicentra

Dicentra is called "Bleeding Heart" by many growers. This plant is a perennial favorite because of its unique appearance. The plant is fragile in appearance. Blossoms seem to hang off the stems like teardrops. The blossoms are red and shaped like hearts. The red is accented with white tips. Dicentra can grow to be 20 inches wide and 2 feet tall. It can be divided in the fall and transplanted to other growing areas.

Things You'll Need

• Dicentra Gardening Spade

Instructions

1. Choose a site to plant your dicentra. The site will need to have a bit of shelter near it to protect the plant from strong winds. Shelters can include shrubs, trees or buildings. The location should get partial shade.

2. Dig the holes for your bleeding hearts 8 to 12 inches a part and deep enough to cover up the bare roots, generally 4 to 5 inches.

3. Place the dicentra into their holes and refill the holes with the dirt. Be sure the soil is packed tightly around the roots. Air holes can make the roots dry out fast.

4. Water the newly planted plants to help the dirt settle. Plan to water your dicentra whenever your area is going through a dry spell.

5. When growth begins, usually in late spring, sprinkle plant food on the soil. This will give the plants the extra nutrients they need to produce healthy foliage and blossoms.

6. Cut off any flower stems that are spent, as well as yellowing foliage. Cut the stems off at the ground and clip the foliage off at the stems.

Tips & Warnings

• Dicentra is poisonous. People with small children may want to avoid planting dicentra until their children are past the stage of putting things in their mouths.

References

• Information on Dicentra and Poisoning
• Plant Biology