Dicentra 'Alba' — Bleeding Heart
Forum Archives
sparklemama
Location: Western Washington
Posted: May-11-2005 at 10:18am
I noticed the other day that my bleeding heart has fallen open and exposed the center of the plant. It looks like any other perennial that needs to be divided. with the center completley exposed. It was not laying open like this before the rains started again last week. The plant is about 4 years old, 2 1/2ft wide and tall, mabey bigger not good with dimensons, sorry.
So my question is is it open like this because it needs to be divided or because the rains have been to much for it to handle with out spreading open. It is usually a nice bush shape. If it needs to be divided do i wait for it to finish flowering and stake it? I read the TOTW we had on bleeding hearts last year and saw no mention of this.
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: May-11-2005 at 2:11pm
Because Dicentra spectabilis's roots are brittle its best to leave them alone, do not divide.
I haven't observed what you describe on my plants, so it may be the rain beat it down? People usually keep them in place and they get bigger and better every year. If you want to produce more you will have to divide very carefully because of the roots. Personally if the plant is healthy and you like where it is, I would leave it alone.
sparklemama
Location: Western Washington
Posted: May-11-2005 at 3:34pm
Thanks for the help Debbie. I am happy with where it is placed and the plant looks healthy and beautiful. So I will let it be and just stake around it.
Also I was wondering how long the pink variety of Dicentra spectabilis bloomed for. I purchased one a month ago and it had buds on it but nothing ever opened. I have not seen any buds forming on it since then. The plant looks healthy and happy where it is planted. I was hoping to see it bloom this year.
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: May-11-2005 at 3:40pm
I have had an alba dicentra in the same location since '93, and it is about the same size as usual, I noted today that the pink one which is more exposed is looking beaten down and is just past prime, so my guess is that the rain has more to do with it than the roots.
My white one is learning to share root space with several Solomon's seals who keep encroaching but the two together are quite nice looking.
Carol
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-11-2005 at 6:15pm
It seems to me that the white doesn't grow as fast the pink. They both can get floppy, particually in a real shady, moist spot.
Fern
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-11-2005 at 10:00pm
came home today and noticed EVERYTHING was droped over and laying on top of everything! A 6 foot Asparagus bloom with at least 8 blooms laying on my lilies!
just too much rain now after the warm spell!
What do you do? Time to redo that place in the garden!
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: May-12-2005 at 8:39pm
Sparkle I notice that happens at times to newly planted plants. The flower buds do not produce flowers when some plants are planted. I think it is becasue the plant is rooting instead of putting energy into flowers, not all of them can do both well.
~BakingBarb
sparklemama
Location: Western Washington
Posted: May-13-2005 at 9:09am
Thanks for all the input everyone. I did notice this morning way in the middle of the pink , very tiny buds forming! So looks like i will get a few blooms this year.
Looking around the yard I noticed that there are a lot of things laying over on top of other plants. Everything was going ganbuster with the heat we had and now that the rains are back and staying for at least a week I think we will end up seeing more. Time to get out the stakes and string..lol.

Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton