Bleeding Hearts, also known as Dicentra spp., are much-loved flowers that mark the end of spring. Their graceful branches are adorned in tiny heart-shaped pendants for several weeks at the end of spring. Once flowering is finished, the whole plant begins to die back as temperatures rise in the summer. Even though its growing season is short, Bleeding Hearts return for many years with minimal maintenance other than a quick clean-up in mid-summer.
Woodland and shade gardens are ideal locations to grow Bleeding Hearts. This perennial requires consistent moisture and well-drained soil to grow well. Often Bleeding Hearts growing in boggy or very dry soil become afflicted with pests and diseases, especially whiteflies or aphids. Feed Bleeding Hearts in early spring with a slow-release fertilizer or a layer of compost.
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Shrubs To Plant With Bleeding Hearts
Deciduous spring bloomers are traditionally used as a backdrop for Bleeding Hearts. For native bloomers, consider bottlebrush buckeye, snowberry, serviceberry, dogwood, and mock orange, which will extend the bloom season well into the beginning of the summer. Add layers of foliage and color with weigela, witch hazel, Japanese maple, and fothergilla, which emerge early in the spring.
Broadleaf evergreens like rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, or pieris also make fabulous backdrops for Bleeding Hearts in bloom. Many of these evergreens are spring bloomers also and can be planted in a similar color range as Dicentra. Underneath the shrubs, Bleeding Heart will benefit from the added shade.
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Perennials To Plant With Bleeding Hearts
Herbaceous perennials can be used to highlight and complement the lovely foliage texture and colors of Bleeding Heart flowers. For spring color, epimedium, primroses and spring bulbs including daffodils, checker lilies, and crocus all thrive in partially shaded locations with Bleeding Hearts. Later-blooming perennials like heuchera, hosta, and astilbe will expand to cover any empty spots left behind when Bleeding Heart goes dormant for the season. Other groundcovers that grow well in the shade like saxifrage, ferns, ajuga, false strawberry, wild ginger, creeping phlox, and sweet woodruff do not aggressively compete with bleeding hearts and will cover any bare spots later in the summer.
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Annuals To Plant With Bleeding Hearts
Hardy annuals work well for color in spring and next to Bleeding Hearts. Some great options for partial shade include pansies, violas, sweet alyssum, and lobelia. In more sun, include calendula and California poppies to highlight the naturally mounded shape and fantastic foliage of Bleeding Hearts. Taller growing larkspur, snapdragons, and bachelor buttons are good for bridging the gap when bleeding hearts die back for the summer.
Best Companion Plants For Bleeding Hearts in Containers
Bleeding Hearts grow well in containers with other shade-tolerant plants. Consider potting them with spring bulbs, pansies, petunias, wishbone flowers, and sweet potato vine, which will add long-lasting color. The container arrangement will need regular watering and fertilizing with a diluted liquid feed. Once the Bleeding Heart dies back, the petunias and sweet potato vine can be left to mature and fill up the pot for a lush display.
Plants Not To Grow With Bleeding Hearts
Bleeding Hearts require excellent drainage during the winter months and struggle in boggy soil. These perennials can be added to the transitional zone of a rain garden, but not the bottom swale. Avoid pairing Bleeding Hearts with marsh marigolds, cattails, and flag iris, which thrive in saturated conditions.
Best Plants To Grow With Bleeding Hearts
By far the best companions for bleeding hearts are those that grow in slightly shaded, woodland conditions. Try pairing them with ferns, heuchera, epimediums, and astilbe for a naturalistic and lush design. Dicentra growing alongside shrubs has a lovely romantic feeling when everything is in full bloom. Shrubs likely to bloom with Bleeding Hearts include rhododendron, weigela, and bottlebrush buckeye, which will continue the display even after bleeding hearts have gone dormant.