Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Dicentra spectabilis

$35⁰⁴

In Stock

Enter your ZIP code to check shipping availability.

Find your Growing Zone

Plant Size

#1 Container

Product variants

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

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 Profile & Growing Essentials

Cold hardy, Low Maintenance, Flowering, Deer-resistant, Attracts pollinators, and Non-invasive

Specifications

Botanical Name

Dicentra spectabilis
Height

1-2 ft
Width

1-2 ft
Growing Zones

3-9
Sunlight
- Partial shade
Growth Rate

Moderate
Flower Color
- Pink
- White
Leaf Color
- Green
Fall Color

Yellow
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Bloom Period

Early Spring, Late Spring
Does Not Ship To

AK, HI, ID, MT, OR

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

Sunlight: These perennials thrive in partial shade to full shade, performing best with cool morning sun and protection from the harsh afternoon heat. While they can handle more sun in cooler climates if the soil stays moist, too much direct heat will cause the plant to go dormant and lose its leaves earlier in the season.
Soil: Plant in rich, humus-y soil that drains well but remains consistently moist, similar to a natural woodland floor. If you have heavy clay soil, amend it generously with compost or peat moss to improve drainage, as the fleshy roots are prone to rot in soggy winter conditions.

Watering Requirements

Keep the soil consistently moist during the spring establishment period and throughout the blooming season to prolong the display. Once the plant enters its natural dormancy in the heat of summer and the leaves yellow, you can reduce watering, but never let the roots dry out completely or the plant may not return the following year.

Pruning Tips

Pruning is mostly for aesthetics; simply cut the foliage back to the ground after it has turned yellow and withered in mid-to-late summer. Do not remove the leaves while they are still green, as the plant uses that time to absorb energy and recharge the roots for next spring's blooms.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a layer of organic compost or a light, balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring just as new growth begins to emerge. Avoid heavy nitrogen applications, especially later in spring, as this encourages soft foliage growth at the expense of flowers and can make the plant susceptible to aphids.

Free shipping

On all orders over $199
Plant Sentry™

Compliant guaranteed
Easy returns

Hassle free returns policy
Live Chat

Talk to a real person

Growing Zones 3-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

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-seeds, 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
Read more care info here!

The foliage may go dormant in mid-summer in hot sun and soaring temps - learn about summer dormancy.

Old Fashioned Classic Hearts

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!

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Dicentra spectabilis

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

Specifications