Bleeding Heart
Scientific Name: Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Category: plant
Brief Description
A herbaceous perennial known for its distinctive heart-shaped pink and white flowers that hang from arching stems.
Characteristics
Puffy, heart-shaped pink flowers with a white inner petal that 'drips' from the bottom. The plant has fern-like, lobed green foliage and fleshy stems.
Habitat
Found in moist, shaded woodlands and is a popular garden ornamental in temperate zones.
When to Find It
Blooms in late spring to early summer; the plant often goes dormant and disappears in the heat of mid-summer.
Conservation Status
N/A
Ecological Role
Provides early-season nectar for pollinators like bumblebees and hummingbirds.
Easily Confused With
Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) which has smaller, more clustered flowers and more finely divided leaves.
Observation Tips
Look for these in shady garden borders or damp woodland edges during May and June. Use a low angle to capture the 'drip' of the flowers.
Interesting Facts
Formerly classified as Dicentra spectabilis, it was moved to its own genus, Lamprocapnos, in 1997. All parts of the plant are considered toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation.