I don't have exima--only spectabilis..which reseeds quite readily. My friends grow exima from seeds, so it is definitely possible.

I have a pink one, not sure the name. I have had it for many yrs, but have never found seeds yet. It will look like its setting little 1" long pods, but these never fill out. Just slender thin green things.
TAmmy

The only Dicentra eximia that I have is a white-flowered, named cultivar and it has never produced seed. However, the pink and rose-flowered Dicentra formosa, ssp. oregona species seed very freely and I find them growing all about the garden, even in full afternoon sun. In that location, they are summer dormant and reemerge and bloom in the fall.

For some reason, my Old-fashioned Bleeding Hearts, Lamprocapnos(Dicentra) spectabilis, neither the pink or white-flowering ones, has ever produced seedlings and some have been around for 20 years!

My white spectabilis did self-sow regularly.
The link below gives an interesting piece of info on the latest in dicentra hybridization:-

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese Dicentra

I've never tried to grow any of the Dicentras from seed, but I've got one very large Dicentra spectablis and that has spawned one seedling over the past few years - which was a pleasant surprise.

I've divided my Dicentra eximia into several plants, but it hasn't made any seedlings AFAIK. However I recently read that this species is self-infertile, which means that it requires at least 2 genetically different plants to make fertile seed. So if you have only have 1 plant or 1 cultivar, ie the white one, you won't get viable seed.

you said: Isn't this a tuberous plant that should be propagated asexually?? Am I wrong in thinking this??

====

yes you are .... in general.. the only problem with starting a tuber plant from seed... is the number of years it takes for the tuber to mature.. to the point of flowering ....

if the genetics are their.. to have a viable seed [in other words.. they arent mountain kin... lol] .. then all viable seeds .. in theory.. should lead to a plant ....

but i dont know the answer to this specific plant..

ken

I've grown D. eximia from seed. They're pretty easy. Never tried spectibilis. But have grown formasa.......again easy.

Ken is correct :-) Theoretically, if a plant flowers, it can be grown from seed. That is their primary means of reproduction regardless of their root formation. Even true bulbs like narcissus will produce seeds if allowed to. If you think about it, plants that occur naturally - in native environments - are not propagated asexually. How would this happen? Of course there are limitations......some hybrids may produce sterile seeds and named cultivars will not necessarily come true to type, but theoretically, if it flowers it produces seeds.

All species of dicentra self-seed rather freely......some to the point of being obnoxious.

what... who ... when ...

one of the best xmas gifts i got .. from gal no less ... when she said:

Ken is correct :-) Theoretically

i didnt read anymore.. in case she qualified that part ... lol ...

ken

ps: though some plants may be fully zone appropriate ... the seed and its germination stages.. may not be .... e.g. once.. and only once.. some impatiens seeded and grew the following summer.. in my z5 ... never saw it before.. nor since .... but they have to be throwing down seed every year ... so some of us might have BH seedlings.. some may not ....

I'm sorry, I should have clarified this. What I meant to ask was...from a grower's standpoint, is it better to just do divisions, or is growing from seed a reliable method?? I just want to know which I'm likely to have more success with. Also, I'll be looking for these come spring time (the spectablis in the white form), so remember me.

They reseed prolifically in the garden for me - though some named cultivars may be sterile. The seedlings do take several years to reach blooming size though. That said, division is easy and yields quicker results.

I get a lot of seedlings from spec. alba and pink.
Pam

Unless you are looking for speedy results (in which case division is often your best bet) the only things that need to be vegetatively propagated are cultivars where you want the exact same clone. Or perhaps a seedling that has some traits that you like (color, size, or vigor).

D. eximia and D. spectabilis both seed freely in conditions to their liking, which seem to include stone walls in my experience. This also includes their cousins in the Corydalis genus.

But there are a lot of eximia hybrids and fancy vegetatively propagated selections out there and they may not set seed. At least for me.

I have some of the obnoxious sort of weedy ones seeding all over my back flowerbed along a fence under the neighbor's Douglas firs. I wish my more desirable cultivars like 'King of Hearts' and 'Luxuriant' would seed themselves around.

Ok lol I'm new at this I have read some of the comets but don't understand some of the words but I have white bleeding heart plant that I have had for 3 years it comes me back good from the winter well I have found two seeds I guess they are they were in the flower just need to now if they need to dry or germinate them first time ever seeing seeds

do yours look like those at the link ???

https://www.google.com/search?q=dicentra+seed&biw=874&bih=745&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=8TKcVd23J8vxsAXY65_IBw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.9

if you want a tutorial on such.. you should do your own post ...

and many peeps use winter sowing for perennials... and there is a forum for that ...

ken

Parkinson, those don't resemble dicentra (bleeding heart) seeds. There is a photo of actual size dicentra seeds here. Smaller, and should be black or brown.

It came off the one I have it don't look like the heart but when I Google it it showed that it was it's white with a tiny little red end on it

Thank you

I don't see a link or pic of it it's thank you Any way for getting back to me

Phyliss, the link is embedded in Morz's comment. Click on the words "dicentra seeds here".

Sorry, I know those embedded links can be hard to see some times, the lettering is green but with the lack of contrast easy to miss....

Try this one. Dicentra, actual size, color

http://theseedsite.co.uk/allseeds7.html

Ok thank you lol well now I don't no what plant I got its a climbing bush I'll take a picture of it but the blooms are not as pretty now

And there lies the problem with common, not botanical names ;)

What you have is Clerodendrum thomsoniae, very different from dicentra. AKA bleeding heart vine, glory bower.

Older discussion Vines Forum about sowing (click here)

Ok thank you lol why would they put bleeding heart tag on them gess they can make mistakes to thank you so much

okay i just read that the seed of bleeding heart indeed looks like a green bean! then the seed turns black . To let dry on pod . Im looking to see if there is a yellow or blue

It only looks like a green bean in shape. In size it is far, far smaller, maybe an 1 to 1.5 inches long. The pod should be allowed to ripen on the plant but you need to catch it just before it opens or the seed will fall out.

I don't really understand the final sentence of your post.

Yes, that is a bit confusing, as it seems to end abruptly in midsentence. But if Susan meant that she was looking for a yellow or blue flowering bleeding heart, Dicentra or Lamprocapnos species, then sadly she's going to be looking a long time. They don't come in those colors. But their distant cousins the Corydalis do and share similar growing conditions so may be a possible alternate choice for the bleeding hearts.

I recently acquired blue dicentra seeds from China. I was expecting bulbs and am not sure when to plant them . Spring I guess ?

Susan beeching. What ended up happening with your seeds?