Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Alba Bleeding Heart: Pure White Hearts for a Shady Spring
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Alba bleeding heart is the white form of the old-fashioned bleeding heart. In May, long arching stems carry rows of 10 to 15 puffy, pure white hearts over soft, light green, deeply lobed leaves. It is one of the most graceful plants in the spring shade garden, and it has an RHS Award of Garden Merit to back that up.
It is also a shade plant through and through, so it lives on a different part of the property from lavender.
Alba at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba' (formerly Dicentra) |
| Flowers | Pure white hearts about an inch long |
| Foliage | Light green, deeply cut |
| Size | About 30 inches tall, 18 to 36 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early May, peaks mid-May |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part sun to part shade, full shade |
| Deer | Resistant |
A spring companion for the shady side
In a lavender garden, May is a waiting month. The lavender is greening up and putting on leaves, but the flowers are weeks away. Alba fills that gap from the shade: while the sunny beds are still quiet, the woodland corner under the trees is full of white hearts. By the time lavender blooms, Alba is heading for its summer rest.
Plant it under deciduous trees, along a north wall or at the edge of a woodland, with hostas, ferns or hardy geraniums around it. Those neighbors spread their leaves just as Alba fades and cover the empty spot. Arrange the shade bed in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Planting: set the bare root crown in humus-rich, well-drained soil with the buds just below the surface.
- Water: keep the soil evenly moist in spring to hold the foliage longer.
- Summer dormancy: leaves yellow and disappear by midsummer, earlier in sun or dry soil. This is normal.
- Mark the spot: once it goes dormant, it is easy to dig into by accident.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan; a light leaf mulch helps.
Its fleshy stems can rot if crowded and wet, so give it room and decent drainage. White forms are often a little less vigorous than the pink, but just as hardy.
Cutting for the vase
Alba is a good cut flower. Sprays last about two weeks in water. Cut them when a few hearts at the base of the stem have opened. A stem or two in a small pitcher brings the spring shade garden indoors while you wait on the lavender.
Frequently asked questions
Did my bleeding heart die in July?
Almost certainly not. It goes dormant by midsummer and returns the next spring.
Is it deer resistant?
Yes, deer tend to leave it alone, which makes it useful in rural shade gardens.
Can it grow with lavender?
No. It needs shade and moist soil. Plant it in a shady bed elsewhere on the property.
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