Native Range: Eastern North America
USDA Hardiness: 3-9
Height: 12″-18″
Growing Conditions: Part shade; moist, rich soils
Who ever heard of a Bleeding Heart blooming from spring into October? Dicentra eximia ‘alba’ is one of the few woodland wildflowers with such a long bloom time. We recently fell for its long-blooming delicate dangling white flowers when we planted it for a Native Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. Its lush, fern-like foliage interplants easily with native woodland sedges and ferns and makes it a wonderfully versatile plant. We have also recently paired it with Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’ in the shady interior courtyard of a mixed-use building near the National Cathedral here in Washington, DC.
How much shade will this take? Will it really bloom all season? I’ll have to see if I can find it online as I haven’t seen this variety locally.
Thanks,
Jeff – Hamptonsgarden.com
Jeff,
Thanks for your comment. We have successfully planted Dicentra eximia ‘alba’ in filtered shade under high mature canopy trees. In our experience, Dicentra eximia ‘alba’ is a repeat bloomer, with a main bloom period in late spring/early summer and a quieter show again in fall. However, garden websites like Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center list it as a “long-blooming” plant that “can bloom from early spring to frost,” so it can have presence through the summer as well. Good luck and let us know how it does for you.