You Are Here: Wildflower Guide > Mid Spring > Bleeding Heart
To go back to the master directory, click on the Wildflower Guide button above.
To jump back to the Mid Spring group, click here.
To jump to another season, click one of these links: early spring : late spring : mid-summer : late summer : fall : winter

Our native wild Bleeding Heart is so beautiful I hope you forgive me for overloading this page with pictures. It should not be confused with the Asian species, Dicentra spectabilis, which is often cultivated and sold in nurseries here. (see picture below for comparison). This plant has finely cut leaves and when emerging in spring, is almost indistiguishable from its close cousin Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria). As they grow, however you can see a difference. Bleeding Heart grows to a height of about 6-8 inches.In mid-spring it sends up a stalk (panicle) of flowers that will reach just above the foliage level. It is happiest in rich wooded slopes with dappled sunlight or mostly shade. My RAB reference (see below) claims it is rare; I have some in my native wildflower garden on a damp, east-facing hardwood slope and it is doing very well and spreading. (I purchased my original plant from a legitimate plant rescue.) So apparently it will transplant well - if you can find a legitimate source. (Try my Sources page.) Feel lucky if you find it in the woods - but don't dig!

         Native Bleeding Heart                         Asian Bleeding Heart (thanks to Univ. of Wisconsin website)