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Bleeding Heart

Posted by bernadette_gourder 5 from Newaygo, MI (My Page) on
Mon, Aug 24, 09 at 20:57

I bought a Giant Bleeding Heart from Jung's this spring, planted it, and it grew like crazy. The flowers were beautiful. Now, however, it is all yellow and it look like it is dying back. Is that what they do or is there something wrong with it?

Help!


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Bleeding Heart

That is what they do normally. Where I used to live they died back. Now I have one that blooms continuously until frost. I didn't save the tag, so don't know the name of it, but it looks just like the other ones I had.
It is planted alongside the house, facing NE.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

My bleeding hearts are dicentra spectabilis. I have a red and a white variety, both planted this summer. Neither have died back yet to my surprise! They are in moist clay under a large tree canopy and they have barely yellowed. Our summer has been fairly mild though. I think the shade and the moisture keep them green.

But my neighbors have a specimen in their front yard that is heavily mulched and near the street. It is yellow and terrible looking- just too exposed I think.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Mine always die back once the heat really sets in. They come back just as big and beautiful the next year. I just make sure there are hosta and ferns to fill in the bare spots. I doubt you did anything. I have mine in almost full shade to help them last as long as possible.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Phew! Thank you - I was hoping it was something along those lines. It looks like perhaps a little too much afternoon sun and I have it in sandy soil, so perhaps not moist enough.

Curious, how do you propagate Bleeding Heart? Do cuttings work?


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Yes, cuttings in early spring, as the new shoots emerge do work. They typically include a small part of the woody crown as a "heel".

Root cuttings are also possible.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

When I brought home my dicentra spectabilis alba (white bleeding heart) the stems were very floppy and tender. Anyway, I must've broken off a random "arm" in the transport and I stuck it in the garden window for maybe 7 days before putting it in the ground.

I thought it would die, but I went back and saw it last week, it was thriving!!! It didn't even have any visible roots when I planted it- now it's got new growth, no dieback, and a sturdy stem. Amazing plant. I might break off some more "arms" and establish some new plants!


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RE: Bleeding Heart

these go into dormancy in late summer.it's natural process.

Here is a link that might be useful: tn nursery


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Dicentra spectabilis, both red and white ones, will seed around after a few years. Then you just have to move the new babies into the spot where you want them. Easy. The white ones have stems that are paler green than the red ones so you can tell them apart as young plants.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Root cuttings for dicentra spectabilis? Just cut, trim, and plant in pots with the top cut even with the soil, water, and wait?

Or am I missing something?


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RE: Bleeding Heart

That's about it -- 7-10cm (3-4") in length, pencil-thickness, but otherwise, you've got the idea. Armitage says to do it in March, but I've seen other sources that said after flowering.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Seriously that easy.


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RE: Bleeding Heart

Thank you all for the info! Dicentra have to be one of my favorite flowers, I'd love to try a hand at propagating them!

Bernadette


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