Colorful Maryland Native Plants

Dicentra eximia

Dicentra eximia, Bleeding Heart, is a native wildflower with a fern-like, grayish-green foliage and pink to purplish heart-shaped flowers. The heart-shaped flowers bloom in the late spring. Bleeding Hearts do not tolerate hot weather and may even go dormant in hot, dry summers. There is a chance of rebloom when the weather cools in the late summer or early fall. Planting in a shaded spot in a woodland garden is ideal. The plant will self-seed in favorable conditions,

LGS Notes:

Bleeding Heart flowers are some of my favorite flowers to see in the spring. I love how the flowers are actually heart-shaped! The plant does best in part shade and with good soil drainage. I find that the flowers are also relatively deer resistant. – Jessie

I use bleeding heart in combination with other shade plants like Carex laxiculmis, Polystichum acrostichoides, Asarum canadensis and Heuchera americana. There are many bleeding hearts that do well in the shade but this is the only species native to Maryland. For the last two seasons my bleeding hearts have bloomed all throughout spring and summer and into fall! Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to bleeding heart. ~Lauren