Dicentra spectabilis, scientific name Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Fukuhara is a herbaceous perennial that comes from the family of fumaricaeae. Spectabilis (species name) translates as spectacular, admirable or attractive, and is known as Mary’s heart, maiden’s heart, ringlin’s earring, or in English, Bleeding Heart.
It originates from East Asia, can be found from Siberia to Japan, and in our areas it spread in the 19th century. Although today it is somewhat forgotten because it is an ancient plant that used to decorate a much larger number of gardens and homesteads. However, its popularity is slowly growing again, thanks to its beautiful flowers and resistance to low temperatures. It is one of the first plants to bloom in the spring months.
As it sprouts, it changes color. At first, it is soft pink in color, later it takes on a red color, and in the end it becomes green-gray. Changes can be seen literally every day because it grows very quickly.
Hearts need a lot of space to grow. It can grow 50 cm in width and even 1.2 meters in height. The stalk of the heart is the first to develop during March, it is fleshy and slightly bent, and its color is greenish-pink. On the stalks there are dissected and deeply incised leaves whose color varies from blue to green. If you have sensitive skin, the leaves may cause skin irritation when touched, so put on gloves beforehand.
Flowers in an interesting, heart-shaped shape, come in pink and hang from the stem. The name of the plant comes from the shape of the flowers. At first, the hearts are green, and as they grow, they open and take on their true color. At the base of the flowers, white petals peek out shyly. Flowers develop on the upper part of the stem.
There are also cultivars with white flowers that come under the name “Alba” – Dicentra spectabilis, and they are somewhat less lush than the original. Although most varieties produce white or pink flowers, some varieties can also come in red.
Cordyceps roots are rhizomatous, like small twigs, yellow in color and very tender, so you should be careful when transplanting.
The flowering of the sardaška takes place from mid-April to the end of June, and it is most often planted in the garden or yard to decorate the garden. It will fit nicely against rock walls, under trees or next to planted tall bushes. Although they are considered country flowers that grow in gardens, they will also fit well in a modern garden, planted in pots or jars. In case the temperatures are slightly lower during the summer months, expect another bloom during the season.
Planting hearts
When planting, it is important to know that it does not tolerate changing its position, so try to plant it in a permanent place. After several years of growth in the same place, a beautiful plant will develop.
Heartwood is most often planted from the rhizome in the autumn months or in early spring. Be careful when transplanting the plant because they are fragile and could be damaged very easily. Pay attention to the depth of planting the plant. Don’t plant it too deep, because it will fail and bloom less well.
If you are planting hearts from seed, sow in the autumn months. It is a plant that needs cold in order to sprout from the seed. If you are going to sow it in the spring months, keep the seeds in the refrigerator for the first few weeks.
Climate and habitat
Shady and semi-shady areas in the garden suit it for growth and development. It can also grow in sun-drenched places, but in that case you will have to provide it with a lot more water for growth.
Plant it in a place where it will be protected from winds and early frosts. Later, the heart tree can survive even very low temperatures without the necessary protection, so it can be planted in colder continental areas. It will not be harmed by temperatures down to minus 20.
Ground
Rich humus soils, moist enough, but necessarily drained, are suitable for the plant to grow. It will grow well on medium-light and medium-heavy soils, i.e. sandy loamy soils that have good drainage.
Cultivation of hearts
After the cold winter months, the heart plant wakes up early and already in March chases the first shoots. It grows very fast and in a month you could enjoy its beautiful flowers.
Care should be taken with young plants. Plants planted in the spring months will survive the next winter without protection from frost. However, it is recommended to cover the root of the plant with mulch.
Plants planted in the autumn months will be safe until the first spring frosts. Especially if they just started sprouting then. Protect them in time with a thicker layer of mulch or agrotextile.
Move the young heart plants that you planted in containers from cuttings to a sheltered area during the winter.
For times when the above-ground parts of the plant have not yet sprouted, you can plant flowers next to it, such as two-year water lilies, pansies, daisies, primroses or one-year marigolds, marigolds, water lilies and scented rabbits. Bulbs such as saffron, visibab, tulips and sunovrat will also fit in perfectly.
Watering
The plant needs frequent watering to grow, especially if it grows in the sun. The soil must be moist, but not too waterlogged.
Fertilization
There is no need for frequent feeding. Every year or every two years, in the spring months (March), feed with a small amount of fertilizer for growth and flowering.
Maintenance and care
After the first frost has passed, cut the stems of the cordyceps to 3 to 5 cm from the surface of the soil.
In the spring months (May) every year, spread a 5 cm layer of mulch around each plant. This will keep the soil moist and prevent the growth of weeds.
After flowering, the upper part of the plant slowly dries and turns yellow, until it completely withers. Since it is a perennial that continues to grow and bloom the following season, it is recommended that you mark the place in the garden where it grows so that you do not accidentally dig it up.
Propagation of heartworms
Heartworm reproduces:
- seed
- by dividing rootstocks (by root cuttings – rhizomes)
Cordyceps is developed by seed in the autumn months because it needs cold to grow, and by root shoots in the early spring months or after the leaves of the plant have fallen.
If you don’t remove the spent flowers, they will develop seeds that will dry as soon as they ripen. However, the seeds take a long time to germinate, and they also require mandatory stratification, i.e. they need low temperatures for germination. Therefore, growing from seed is not recommended because it requires much more care and effort with questionable results. Namely, the plants from the seeds will bloom only in two to three years and under ideal conditions, i.e. if their growth is not hindered, for example, by transplanting. In the case of transplanting, flowering is delayed for one or more years.
Dormant phase (summer months)
When the beautiful heart flowers fall off, the plant goes into a dormant phase. Therefore, it is recommended to plant fern, hosta, astilbe, geranium or any other shrub species next to it, the leaves and flowers of which will cover the hearts during the resting phase.
Heartworm diseases and pests
Heartwood is an easy plant to grow, and one of the reasons is that it is resistant to most diseases and pests. It can occasionally be attacked by snails (which feed on the leaves) and aphids (which attack the flowers), which you can easily prevent and suppress with suitable chemical or natural means.
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