It is (probably) a hybrid between the west coast and east coast native species so it will not go summer-dormant like the old-fashioned variety (Dicentra spectabilis). The flowers are not as spectacular as the old-fashioned variety but they are still nice and long-lasting though flowering will slow in the heat of summer while foliage will remain (unlike spectabilis). If it is not currently in flower, you may not see anything until next year, but I can assure you this is a magnificent plant that is worth the wait.

This post was edited by mistascott on Sun, Jun 16, 13 at 1:40

The fern-leafed bleeding heart blooms all summer but it is also a lot shorter than Dicentra spectabilis. It is one of the first plants to bloom in my garden.

I have several 'Luxuriant' and it's a terrific plant. Lots of plants are claimed to bloom spring through frost but this one really does. It only gets about 18" tall so it needs a whole different spot than the typical dicentra spectabilis. It's a little slow to establish and it's hard to divide successfully, but it grows slowly so you won't need to worry about that for quite some time. Enjoy it!

Dicentra spectabilis is such a welcome sight in spring even tho' it goes dormant once summer arrives. I have a spectacular white form as well as the species regular red/pink form.

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While they can have both good and not-so-good years, it's been my experience since I've gardened here that these are pretty much bullet-proof. There used to be a red/pink one growing in full sun through a crack in the concrete steps off my breezeway. It disappeared for a couple years after I had the steps widened but turned up again this year at the top of the slope where I had the workers dump excess soil when the work was finished.

I've never troubled myself doing a single thing for them--they aren't bothered by pests so far as I've seen and nor do they require anything to perform beautifully every year. My DIL has a species plant in full shade that's grown to the size of a mature rhododendron so I'm guessing that in an ideal location these can grow to impressive size.

I plant hostas on both sides as the dicentra emerges
And blooms
before hostas reach maturity for the season. Something
To fill in the space later in the season as the dicentras blooms
Fade.

Keep it moist to retard or prevent dormancy in the summer.

If I remember correctly, mine don't go completely
Dormant. Hmmm. Something to watch.

This post was edited by dominoswrath on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 9:08

Like dominoswrath, I also grow hosta + Japanese sedge to block sight of the BH foliage as it goes dormant. It's proven an ideal solution the past several years.

I just bought 2 of the spectibilis variety, one labeled âÂÂOld Fashionedâ and the other Alba. Though the foliage is pretty on the other kinds, I really wanted that old fashioned bleeding heart flower form. My Mom had a spectacular one planted by her downspout that just got bigger and more lush every year. I had been looking for these for a long time. In my area cottage garden type plants are impossible to find. It finally dawned on me that I should check out a nursery in the country, and on a business trip, I did; and voila! They had maybe 5 different kinds. (Found a rhubarb plant, too! People in my neighborhood probably donâÂÂt know what that is). I was tempted by the bluish ferny leaved ones, but those still had flowers and they looked smaller than I wanted.

I know theyâÂÂll go dormant, but I can live with that, as long as I donâÂÂt forget where I put them.

Maybe IâÂÂll need a Luxuriant later, if they really do bloom longer.

This is my first Bleeding Heart. It is the Valentine variety. Can someone tell me if this is dead, or dormant? I watered it with an epsom salt solution (1.5 tsp. per gallon of water) and it started to yellow shortly thereafter. Help?! Thanks.

This post was edited by Muffy09 on Fri, Aug 30, 13 at 19:45

Did it dry out? It looks like it got parched. But it's not dead.

@karin_mt I planted it in a planter with a large water reservoir, so lack of water was never a problem.

This post was edited by Muffy09 on Fri, Aug 30, 13 at 19:46

Mine (both spectabilis varieties, one white and the other pink, planted in mid June of this year) turned yellow before they went dormant. The one in a slightly drier position with more sun did this first. But neither got any brown tips in the process. Just a slow yellowing.

According to what I found on Google, the cultivar you're asking about is a cultivar of the spectabilis type so I'm guessing at this time of year in Zone 5 it's either dormant or soon will be. D. spectabilis is a reliable spring blooming perennial in my zone that goes yellow & dormant not long after flowering. If the roots were well-established when you planted it, I'd expect it to show up again next spring. It's been a tough old bird in my garden beds for many years.

I doubt it will survive winter if you're growing it in a container altho' the WFF website says it's hardy to Z3. A plant needs to be hardy to at least two zones colder than its range in order to come through winter in a container. You can sink the container into the ground to increase your chance of seeing it survive the winter.

An added note--I've never fertilized or fed any of my bleeding hearts over the past 30 years. As with most perennials, they simply don't need it if they're growing in healthy soil. If your soil is healthy & rich in organic material, your perennials will thrive without fertilizer, especially chemicals.

Below is a link I found to information on your plant at White Flower Farms.

Here is a link that might be useful: D. spectabilis Valentine at White Flower Farm