Pacific Bleeding Heart
Dicentra formosa
Also listed as Dielytra formosa, Fumaria formosa
Also known as Western Bleeding Heart, Bleeding-heart
Climate Match for your location
See how well Pacific Bleeding Heart grows in your area.
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A delicate woodland perennial with finely textured, fern-like foliage and heart-shaped pink or white flowers that dangle from arching stems. It thrives in shaded, moist conditions and spreads gradually to form attractive groundcover.
Why grow it
Pacific Bleeding Heart is better suited to dry-summer regions than its eastern relative (Dicentra spectabilis), making it a reliable choice for West Coast shade gardens where summer moisture is limited. Its spreading habit and fine foliage texture fill understory space more delicately than hostas or hellebores, and it recovers reliably from cutting back if foliage becomes tattered mid-season.
Watch out for
This plant goes dormant and disappears entirely by midsummer in most climates, which can leave bare patches if not underplanted with later-emerging neighbors. It prefers consistently moist (not wet) soil and may struggle or decline in compacted clay without soil amendment.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Papaveraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, California)
Native to: California, Oregon, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
'Aurora' and 'Luxuriant' are widely cultivated; 'Aurora' features pale pink flowers while 'Luxuriant' produces deeper rose-red blooms and often reblooms in cooler climates.
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A delicate woodland perennial with finely textured, fern-like foliage and heart-shaped pink or white flowers that dangle from arching stems. It thrives in shaded, moist conditions and spreads gradually to form attractive groundcover.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Pacific Bleeding Heart grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Pacific Bleeding Heart is better suited to dry-summer regions than its eastern relative (Dicentra spectabilis), making it a reliable choice for West Coast shade gardens where summer moisture is limited. Its spreading habit and fine foliage texture fill understory space more delicately than hostas or hellebores, and it recovers reliably from cutting back if foliage becomes tattered mid-season.
Watch out for
This plant goes dormant and disappears entirely by midsummer in most climates, which can leave bare patches if not underplanted with later-emerging neighbors. It prefers consistently moist (not wet) soil and may struggle or decline in compacted clay without soil amendment.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Papaveraceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, California)
Native to: California, Oregon, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar herbs you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
'Aurora' and 'Luxuriant' are widely cultivated; 'Aurora' features pale pink flowers while 'Luxuriant' produces deeper rose-red blooms and often reblooms in cooler climates.