Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bleeding heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis (L.) Lem.
Also known as: Asian bleeding heart, Lyre flower
Family: Papaveraceae
60 to 90 cm tall
Planted in a shady, cool border, rich and well-drained soils
Flowering: April – June
Part shade
Very hardy, to about -30°C, goes into summer dormancy after flowering
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Each flower of the bleeding heart forms a perfect heart hanging upside down, hence its name — a floral architecture so recognisable that it has made it one of the most photographed garden perennials in the world.
🍃 Leaves
Divided, grey-green, somewhat fleshy, dying back after flowering in summer
🌸 Flowers
Pink and white, in the characteristic shape of a hanging heart, grouped in arching racemes
🍎 Fruits
Small elongated capsule
🪵 Bark
Herbaceous perennial with a rhizome, forming a clump of leaves and then long arching flower stems.
🗺️ Distribution
Native to northern China and Japan; widely grown in France as a woodland perennial
🐝 Value for pollinators
Nectar-rich spring flowering, visited by bumblebees able to reach the nectar hidden in the heart-shaped flowers
✂️ Horticultural uses
Emblematic woodland perennial planted for its flowers shaped like hanging hearts, going dormant in summer after flowering
⚠️ Possible toxicity
The whole plant is toxic if ingested and may cause skin irritation in sensitive people.
🌿 Other Papaveraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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