Use & Care NotesCompanion Plants
Hearts on Fire Bleeding Heart: True Red Hearts Over Gold
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Hearts on Fire bleeding heart brings two colors the old-fashioned bleeding heart never had: true red flowers and golden foliage. The deeply lobed leaves emerge early in spring, bright gold with bronze highlights on dark reddish-bronze stems. In May, long arching stems reach out past the foliage, hung with rows of puffy red hearts tipped in white.
It is a shade plant that wants moist soil, so it will not live with your lavender. But it will make the shady side of the garden the first place anyone looks in spring.
Hearts on Fire at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Hearts on Fire' (formerly Dicentra) |
| Flowers | True red hearts with small white tips, about an inch long |
| Foliage | Gold with bronze highlights on dark stems |
| Size | 18 to 24 inches tall, 2 to 3 feet 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 opener for the shade garden
In a lavender garden, the sunny beds do not really get going until June. Hearts on Fire fills the gap from the other side of the property. Its flower stems reach out past the foliage and bloom longer than older types, so the red-on-gold display holds through much of May. Red, gold and bronze also make a warm, unexpected palette in a shade bed, where most plants lean green, blue and white. Plan it under trees or along a north wall in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting partners for summer
Like all old-fashioned bleeding hearts, it may go dormant by midsummer, earlier in dry or sunny spots. Design for it from the start:
- Hostas: their leaves expand just as the bleeding heart fades.
- Ferns: fill the gap with fine texture.
- Hardy geraniums: spread to cover bare soil.
Steady spring moisture and shade both delay dormancy. Mark the crown once it disappears so nobody digs into it.
Care notes
Give it humus-rich, evenly moist soil that still drains well; crowded, wet conditions can rot the fleshy stems and crowns. It is very hardy in Michigan, and a light leaf mulch helps. Problems are few beyond rot in soggy soil and occasional mildew.
Cutting the stems
The arching sprays are good cut flowers and look wonderful in a spring vase. All parts of bleeding heart are toxic if eaten and the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves and keep it away from pets and kids who might nibble. It is an ornamental plant only.
Two tray sizes
Hearts on Fire is offered as a 72-cell plug tray and a 20-cell plug tray. The 20-cell tray's larger, deeper cells give each plant a stronger start. See the product pages for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from Gold Heart?
Both have gold foliage. Gold Heart has rose-pink hearts; Hearts on Fire has true red hearts, bronze-tinted young leaves and darker stems.
Can it take sun?
Strong sun scorches gold foliage and speeds dormancy. Part shade is best.
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