Bleeding hearts … lacy ground covers in the right place

Bleeding hearts . . . lacy ground covers in the right place As lacy bloomers for shade, few plants are more endearing than bleeding hearts. If your climate and growing conditions suit them, plants take off, forming a thick bed of ferny foliage strewn with pink or white flowers year after year.

For best performance, bleeding hearts need winter frost, moderate summer temperatures, and rich, porous acid soil; otherwise plants usually dwindle after a year or two. Where conditions are marginal, the smaller native types are more likely to persist than the showier and more widely sold common bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis). Native Western bleeding heart (D. formosa) spreads runners everywhere, while the similar-looking Eastern native (D. eximia) stays in a clump; 'Zestful' is a clumping hybrid between the two that's especially long-blooming.

Give all kinds well-drained soil rich in organic material, plenty of moisture, and bright shade. The east or north side of a house or fence is ideal; avoid south or west exposures.

Plants bloom at least three to six weeks in spring. When foliage gets shabby after a hard frost or hot spell, cut it to the ground. Mark the site so you don't dig up roots by mistake. To camouflage gaps left by dormant bleeding heart, plant low ferns or forget-me-nots in the same area. Even during dormancy, roots still need moisture. Plants spring back again with winter rains.

Where to find bleeding hearts

In nurseries this month, you'll find packaged roots of common bleeding heart. Plant with top ends just at soil surface.

You can often find Western bleeding heart at native specialists. One mail-order source with a good selection of native varieties is Russell Graham, 4030 Eagle Crest Rd. N.W., Salem, Ore. 97304 (catalog $2, refundable with purchase).