Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart
Dicentra spectabilis
- Stay Protected with Plant Sentry ™
Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150+ | $24.99 |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
-
Brand
-
Botanical Name
-
Growing Zones
-
Mature Height
-
Mature Spread
-
Moisture
-
Soil
-
Growth RateMedium
-
Fall Color
-
Pollinator Friendly
-
Pruning Time
-
Bloom PeriodEarly Spring, Late Spring
Growing Zones 3-9
Romantic pink and white blooms, there are few plants as romantic, iconic, and intriguing as the Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)! The Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart is a showy, reliable, and whimsical choice for your spring garden. This shade-loving and classic variety offers an exceptional spring display with its bright pink, heart-shaped puffy blooms.
All it takes is one glance at the Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart to understand why this plant is a garden must-have! The Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart produces strings of perfectly plump and delightfully pink outer petals and white inner petals that form the "drop". And it's impossible not to love how these flowers dangle and drip, creating one of the most unique garden sensations you will find.
Only growing to a ferny, fringed mound of elegant green foliage that's 2-3 feet tall and wide, the mounds gracefully arch, cascade and drape themselves over the ground beautifully! In stark contrast to this delicate-looking plant's appeal, is the extreme cold-hardiness and heat tolerance of these herbaceous perennials throughout USDA growing zones 3 through 9!
Planting and Application:
With racemes that erupt with blooms as elegant, stunning, and unique as high-fashion jewelry and foliage that holds its own in light of the breathtaking blooms, a Bleeding Heart is a true joy to grow! Any formal shady garden border, Cottage garden, or fanciful Children's Garden just seems complete with a Bleeding Heart!
It pairs well with other shade-lovers like Hostas, Coral Bells, and Columbines because as these perennials fill in, they provide shade and protection for your Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart as it bids your garden adieu. Likewise, pair with larger shrubs that may not leaf out until later in the spring. Plant your Bleeding Heart around their bases so their later-emerging leaves cover these summer-shy perennials!
Thriving in higher moisture areas, tuck a few Bleeding Hearts around the outskirts of a Rain Garden or water feature! Under trees and larger shrubs, Bleeding Hearts bask in the welcome understory and are the perfect facer perennials to hide larger plants' bare legs with a lacy skirting of green. No proper Shade Garden or shady side of your home's foundation seems complete without a few Bleeding Hearts!
- Exquisite Puffed Rosy-Pink & White Blooms
- Heart-Shaped Dangling Flowers
- Finely-Textured Cut-Leaf Foliage
- Contrasting Arching Stems
- Classic Shade Garden Beauty
- Containers, Edging & Borders, Wildness & Understory Forest Gardens
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Make the most of every inch of your garden with an Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart. It loves partial shade and won't make a fuss if you let it do its thing. These plants appreciate regular, consistent moisture and a 3-4 inch layer of mulch over their root systems. Plant in any kind of enriched, organic well-drained soil for best results.
In some areas, Bleeding Heart self-seed, so in out-of-the-way locations allow them to spread and colonize your shady glens and understories, or deadhead right after the blooms fade to keep them in one place year after year. As a tender herbaceous perennial, it goes dormant in the heat of summer. But then this perennial reliably reappears each spring, and you will be delighted all over again! Clean up the mound by pruning away the leaves and stems as soon as they’ve yellowed in late summer or fall.
- Partial Shade-Loving Perennial
- Consistent Moisture & Mulched Beds
- Any Enriched, Well-Drained Soil
- Deadhead After Blooms Fade & Prune After Foliage Yellows
- Low-Maintenance & Very Easy Care
These lovely and classic shade garden flowers offer an elegant display come spring. If your garden has yet to be blessed with a Bleeding Heart, the Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart is a great start! Be sure to prepare your camera, this photogenic beauty is sure to steal your heart and the show. Order today at NatureHills.com!
