Bleeding heart is native to the cool, moist woodlands of northeast- ern Asia, growing in dappled shade. It does not bloom well in dense shade and will not tolerate poorly drained soils, especially in the winter. It is adapted to U.S. Department of Agri- Comprehensive culture hardiness zones 2 to 9. Plants can tolerate more sun in the more northern latitudes if kept reliably moist. Partial shade is required in Crop Reports the south or where summer temper- atures are high. High, diffuse light under cool, moist, well-drained con- ditions in a neutral to slightly alkaline soil high in humus are optimal con- Bleeding Heart: A Review for Growers ditions. Plants need to be protected from wind. Plants can form clumps 1 m across and almost as tall. Anec- Laurie Hodges1 dotal reports indicate stems approach- ing 2 m height. If plants are cut back in midsummer, no new leaves will form ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Dicentra spectabilis, Lamprocapnos spectabilis, perennial, cut flower, floriculture, breeding (Hanchek, 1989), whereas cutting flowering stems in the spring will re- SUMMARY. A favorite garden flower for centuries, bleeding heart or old-fashioned sult in new floral racemes developing bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) is also used as a potted plant and in floral from axillary buds on the stem or from arrangements. Most general gardening guides include information on growing crown buds. Once growing, long pho- conditions but provide few specifics regarding plant growth and development that toperiods of 18 h promote growth and are important to those interested in commercial cultivation and use in the floral industry. Although uncommon in the U.S. floral industry, the plant is adaptable for flowering indefinitely, especially when use as a flowering potted plant and as cut floral stems with potential for year-around combined with a periodic cutting back availability. This report provides detailed cultural information for this audience of plants to promote new flushes of with an overview of the history of the species and its unique characteristics. Despite growth (Hanchek, 1989; Weiler and the popularity of the spectacular flower and plant form, until 1997 it was only Lopes, 1977). available in the common pink and white form or a pure white form and exhibited little phenotypic variability. Three new cultivars, Goldheart, Valentine, and History Hordival, are now available with distinctive foliage and flower colors. These new Bleeding heart is native to south- cultivars are poised to create much interest among gardeners and cut flower growers. eastern Siberia, Korea, and the north- The history, culture, propagation, forced flowering, use as a cut flower, pest management, and pharmacological potential are presented. ern areas of China. Grown in Chinese gardens and as a forced potted plant for hundreds of years, it was first seen he old-fashioned bleeding blood. The leaves are coarsely dissected, by Western scientist Linnaeus in 1765 heart (Dicentra spectabilis)from blue-green, with a fern-like appearance. as a drawing in a student thesis. Al- Tnortheast Asia was recently re- The flowering stem and flowers are in though it was mentioned in European classified as Lamprocapnos spectabilis two planes of symmetry making them literature as early as 1804 and was in the family Fumariaceae based on particularly attractive and easy to in- present in England as early as 1812, DNA sequencing and differences in corporate into floral designs. At the these introductions died out before pollen and seed coat anatomy from base of each outer pink petal is a spur, becoming established (Tebbitt et al., other Fumariaceae (Liden et al., 1997). which holds nectar from glands at the 2008). Successful introduction into The former Latin name, Dicentra spec- base of the stamens. Plants flower over European gardens followed its rein- tabilis, translates as ‘‘spectacular two a 3- to 4-week period in late spring, troduction in 1846 by Robert For- spurs,’’ while Lamprocapnos means with anthesis starting between late April tune on his return to England from ‘‘bright smoke,’’ both referring to the and early June through the north tem- a collecting trip to China for the flowers. It is a spectacular flower known perate zones. Royal Horticultural Society. Fortune for at least 2000 years for its beauty and for centuries as a garden plant (Zeiner, 2006). The plant has arching stems Units (racemes) of pink heart-shaped flowers To convert U.S. to SI, To convert SI to U.S., that appear to bleed a drop of white multiply by U.S. unit SI unit multiply by 0.3048 ft m 3.2808 3.7854 gal L 0.2642 Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, 377 2.54 inch(es) cm 0.3937 Plant Sciences Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1 ppm mgÁkg–1 1 NE 68583-0724 1 ppm mgÁL–1 1 1Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. (°F – 32) O 1.8 °F °C(1.8·C) + 32 • August 2012 22(4) 517 COMPREHENSIVE CROP REPORTS purchased the plant from a nursery in increased dry weight, or both plants remain vegetative and may flower Shanghai. It flowered in England in through mid-November (Hanchek, until fall when dormancy is induced by May 1847 (Fortune, 1847). By 1852, 1989). Unlike many dormant buds, a photoperiod of 14 h or less (Tebbitt it had appeared in North America and each lateral bud scale contains both et al., 2008; Weiler and Lopes, 1985). throughout Europe, primarily as a a vegetative and reproductive meri- Native to eastern Siberia, northern forced pot plant in the conservatory. stem. The terminal bud scale contains China, and Korea, bleeding heart It was believed not to be frost tolerant, only foliage meristems (Williams, does not tolerate high temperatures despite Fortune predicting it to be so, 1903). A cold period is not required well; however, temperature does not and crowns were dug from the garden for differentiation of the floral meri- induce dormancy. Plants left to die- after the foliage died down and stem but is required for stem elonga- back naturally in response to short brought inside, where they typically tion in the spring. Gibberellic acid days are larger and have more flower- flowered in February, being returned cannot substitute for the cold period ing stems the following spring. We to the garden in May. By 1878, the (Lopes and Weiler, 1977; Song et al., have cut as many as 25 flowering stems garden adaptability of the plant was 2003; Weiler and Lopes, 1976). per plant from 3-year-old plants started well recognized and it was one of the Crown buds form vegetative as two- to three-eye divisions in 5-gal top six garden plants in England shoots that have solid stems and re- pots when kept moist and left to die- (Coats, 1968). Plants were advertised productive stems that are hollow. The back naturally in the fall (L. Hodges, for sixpence (6d) in 1882 in England sap is watery. Some people have an unpublished data). (Gardening Illustrated, 1882), equiv- allergic reaction to the sap, which is Apparently, a hardening effect takes alent to £13 or U.S. $22 in today’s high in isoquinolines and other alka- place in the field in the fall that affects buying power. The white-flowered loids that make the plant toxic (Israilov dormancy and regrowth in the spring. bleeding heart (L. spectabilis var. alba) et al., 1984; Stern, 1961). When plant- During cold storage, plants dug before was first mentioned in the Proceedings ing crowns, buds should be 2.5 to 5 cm the first week of November developed of the Royal Horticultural Society in below the soil surface. Bleeding heart considerable mold and poor regrowth 1864 noting its blush white color and benefits from excellent nutrition dur- in a Michigan study (Hanchek, 1989; origin from China (Royal Horticultural ing its vegetative period aboveground. Hanchek and Cameron, 1995). Dig- Society, 1864), which is the earliest Only general recommendations for cul- ging crowns in early winter and storing known reference to this color form. ture in the landscape have been re- them at 0 °C for 4 months resulted in No information regarding the original ported for bleeding heart (Armitage, higher quality plants that were taller, source, wild or cultivated, of the 2008; Tebbitt et al., 2008). Soil should had more vigorous regrowth, and white-flowered plant is known. Early be well-drained and moderately fertile. were more likely to flower when forced white-flowered clones may have been Well-rotted manure or compost may (Hanchek, 1989). Time from potting different from the plant we know today be added to provide nutrients and to to first flower was most rapid, averag- as the flowers were reported to be improve soil structure. Addition of ing 3 weeks, for plants harvested tinged with pink and the plants much phosphorous in the form of bonemeal later in the fall and stored for 4 months weaker than the red-flowered clones or wood ashes from deciduous hard- (Hanchek, 1989) although others re- (Tebbitt et al., 2008; Williams, 1903). wood trees is recommended by Tebbitt port good growth after 8 to 12 weeks Although commonly grown in gardens et al. (2008). Typical of many geo- of storage at 5 °C (Lopes and Weiler, worldwide, bleeding heart recently was phytes, nutrients likely are translocated 1977). If a cold storage facility is not included in a proposed list of threat- from senescing foliage to the crown available, potted plants can be over- ened crop plants because of its potential and tuberous storage roots, which con- wintered outside. In a northern cli- uses in pharmacology and the relative- tinue to accumulate nutrients as long as mate, use of a laminated polyethylene ly few endemic populations known the fibrous roots remain functional.