Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pink Diamonds Bleeding Heart: A Sun-Loving Heart for Lavender Edges
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Pink Diamonds fernleaf bleeding heart breaks most of the rules people know about bleeding hearts. It likes sun, it wants sharp drainage and it does not vanish into summer dormancy. Instead it keeps a tidy mound of lacy blue-green leaves and dangles little pink hearts over them from late spring well into fall.
That sun-and-drainage preference is exactly why it earns a place in a lavender planting.
Pink Diamonds at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Dicentra 'Pink Diamonds' |
| Flowers | Puffy hearts about three-quarters of an inch long, opening light pink and deepening to medium pink |
| Foliage | Finely cut, fernlike, blue-green with a powdery finish |
| Size | 12 to 16 inches tall, 16 to 18 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts late May, peaks mid-June, continues for about 16 to 20 weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to light part shade |
| Wildlife | Good for pollinators and hummingbirds; deer resistant |
A bleeding heart that can live near lavender
The old-fashioned bleeding heart wants cool, damp shade and fades by midsummer. Pink Diamonds is an alpine fernleaf type, and it behaves differently: it prefers sun, tolerates summer heat and keeps its foliage all season as long as the soil does not dry out completely. In the hottest sites a little afternoon shade helps.
Next to lavender, the appeal is texture. Lavender is all upright spikes and gray-green needles. Pink Diamonds is soft, ferny and low, with hearts that sway on arching stems. Put it at the very front of the bed, where its 16-inch mound will not crowd the lavender and where you can actually see the hearts up close. The flowers carry a light, sweet scent you will only notice when you lean in.
Map out the spacing in the Companion Plant Planner so each lavender mound keeps its airflow.
Drainage is the whole game
Pink Diamonds is very hardy in Michigan, so cold is not the worry. Its fleshy crowns are. In soggy winter soil they rot, which is the same thing that takes out lavender. If your lavender is thriving, the drainage is probably right for this plant too.
- Soil: average soil with excellent drainage. Raised edges and gentle slopes work well.
- Water: during long dry spells only. Wet, crowded foliage in damp weather invites leaf spot and mildew.
- Midsummer: if the foliage looks tired, trim it back to refresh the mound.
- Fall: cut the foliage back after frost and keep heavy mulch off the crown.
Where else it shines
Beyond the lavender border, it suits rock gardens, edging along a path and containers, where its long bloom season makes it a steady performer. Cut stems are fair in a small vase, but it does not dry well, so leave the drying to the lavender.
About the plug tray
Pink Diamonds is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, which suits growers and gardeners planting a long edge or potting up their own stock. See the product page for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Will Pink Diamonds go dormant in summer like my old bleeding heart?
No. Fernleaf hybrids like this one keep their foliage through summer instead of dying back, provided the soil does not dry out completely.
Is it safe around kids and pets?
Think of it as an ornamental only. All parts contain alkaloids and are toxic if eaten, and the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming and plant it where nibblers will not get at it.
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