Bleeding Heart Flower Meaning, Origins, Uses, and Cultural Significance
Just one look at a bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) flower, and it’s easy to understand where its name comes from. Part of the poppy family, these unique plants bloom with heart-shaped pink and white flowers that grace the spring landscape. In the language of flowers, a gift of bleeding hearts symbolizes passionate, romantic love. In many Asian cultures, these flowers signify a broken heart or love unrequited. Here we’ll take you through everything you need to know about bleeding heart flower meaning, symbolism, history, origins, and cultural significance around the world.
Bleeding Heart Flower Meaning – The Essentials
In the language of flowers, a bleeding heart symbolizes passionate love and romance. The pink and white blossoms may also signify unrequited love or a broken heart. In some cultures, flowers represent compassion and the ability to speak freely about emotions. White bleeding hearts represent purity.
About Bleeding Heart Flowers (Lamprocapnos spectabilis)
Family, Genus, and Taxonomy
Bleeding heart flowers belong to the Lamprocapnos genus. They’re the only species in this genus, which belongs to the Papaveraceae or poppy family. Once known as Dicentra spectabilits, other common names for the flowers include lyre flowers, Dutchmen’s breeches, and locks and keys.
Botanical Characteristics, Colors, Fragrances
L. spectabilis grows up to 3 feet tall. A shade-loving perennial, bleeding heart has powdery green leaves that grow in a rosette. Some varieties have fern-like foliage.
Up to 20 pendant flowers, each from one to two inches long, dangle in a row on arching stems. The blossoms have two, heart-shaped pink petals that puff or pouch slightly and resemble tiny lanterns. Two small, white inner petals and a stamen peek out underneath. These inner petals appear to be dripping from the lanterns. Bleeding heart flowers have a delicate, sweet scent.
History & Origins of Bleeding Heart Flowers
Bleeding hearts have long been cultivated in northern China, Japan, and Korea. The plants were first introduced to Europe in the 1800s by Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist. They became popular in English gardens in 1846 when the Royal Horticulture Society brought bleeding hearts back from an exploratory trip to the East.
Since then, the flowers have become popular ornamentals in spring gardens across temperate zones of North America and Europe.
Popular Types, Species, and Cultivars
The common bleeding heart, L. spectabilis, flowers with pink petals and a white “drip.” Other varieties include cultivars such as:
- ‘Alba,’ a heat-tolerant variety with white flowers
- ‘Amore Pink’ compact with soft pink blooms
- ‘Amore Rose’ has fern-like, blue-green foliage
- ‘Gold Heart’ has bright, green-gold foliage
- ‘King of Hearts’, a compact cultivar with rosy pink flowers
- ‘Luxuriant’, a sun- and heat-tolerant variety that flowers for a long time
- ‘Valentine’ has scarlet outer and white inner petals
- ‘White Gold’ has white blossoms
Etymological Meaning
Bleeding heart’s original name, Dicentra spectabilis, comes from Greek for “two spurs” and “spectacular.” The new genus, Lamprocapnos, comes from the Greek for “shining” (lampros) and “smoke,” or kapnos.
What Regions are Bleeding Heart Flowers Native to?
Bleeding heart flowers are native to northern China, Japan, Korea, and Siberia. It’s locally naturalized in Europe and North America.
When is Bleeding Heart Flowers in Season?
Bleeding hearts bloom from late spring through early summer.
Uses and Benefits of Bleeding Heart Flowers
Bleeding hearts are toxic to humans and pets such as dogs. The roots, stems, sap, leaves, and flowers contain isoquinoline alkaloids that, when ingested, may cause trembling, convulsions, diarrhea, vomiting, and breathing problems. The sap may cause skin irritation.
Due to its toxic nature, there aren’t known culinary uses for bleeding heart. However, some folk medical traditions used bleeding heart for a number of purposes, including:
- Stimulant
- Relaxant
- Diuretic
- Coughing
- Dizziness
- Skin disorders
- Insect bites
- Hair loss
- Topical analgesic
When grown as an ornamental plant, the bleeding heart attracts pollinators such as hummingbirds.
Bleeding Heart Flower Meaning & Symbolism
Bleeding heart flowers carry different symbolic meanings in different cultures. To the Victorians, a gift of bleeding heart would mean passionate or romantic love in the language of flowers.
But in many Asian cultures, the flowers stand for a broken heart or unrequited love. In other contexts, the flowers may symbolize love for all of nature, understanding, or compassion. White bleeding heart flowers mean purity and, in some cultures, are gifted to symbolize grief or remembrance of a loved one.
The Cultural Significance of Bleeding Heart Flowers
In the bleeding heart flowers’ native regions, legend has long surrounded these stunning blossoms. A Japanese folktale tells of a rich prince who fell in love with a beautiful maiden. He tried to woo her by giving her 20 gifts but was unsuccessful. The flowers are said to represent the prince’s broken heart, while each blossom on a stem is one gift that he gave her.
In another version of the story, the prince gifts the maiden two magical pink rabbits that symbolize the outer petals. He then gave her two long, white earrings. She rejects him yet again and the prince pulls a knife from the petals and ends his own life.
A bleeding heart flower sprang from the place where the Prince died. Upon seeding the flower, the maiden finally realizes how much the prince loved her but, alas, it’s too late.
For some Christian groups, the flowers represent compassion for others’ suffering. In this context, the bleeding heart may be used as a symbol of Lent or Easter.
Bleeding Heart Flowers in Art and Literature:
Bleeding hearts appear in artists’ works throughout the last two centuries. French photographer Charles Aubry, known for his detailed images of plants, photographed a bleeding heart floral still life in the mid-1800s. Around the same time, British potter John Bennett crafted lovely vases featuring bleeding hearts.
French glass artist Cristallerie D’Emile Gallé crafted a vase featuring bleeding hearts in 1920. Georgia O’Keefe created a bleeding heart from pastels in 1932. The Harvard Art Museum displays 19th-century drawings featuring bleeding hearts.
Suitable Gifting Occasions for Bleeding Heart Flowers
Bleeding heart flowers connection with passion and romantic love make them a perfect addition to wedding bouquets and arrangements. They’re also a great choice for that special date night, an anniversary, or Valentine’s Day. The scarlet and white hybrid ‘Valentine’ is especially perfect for February 14 gifting.
Wrap-up
With their unusually shaped flowers and lovely pink and white petals, the bleeding heart symbolizes romantic love and passion in the language of flowers. But the bloom’s heart shape and “drops of blood” that appear to drip from beneath the blooms make it easy to see why many cultures use these flowers to signify a broken heart or unrequited love. These popular ornamental flowers add drama and visual interest to any floral gift, as well as brighten up any shaded spots in the garden landscape.
Bleeding Hear Flower FAQs:
What do bleeding heart flowers symbolize?
In the Victorian language of flowers, a gift of bleeding hearts means passionate or romantic love. But in many Asian cultures, the flowers symbolize unrequited love or a broken heart.
What colors do bleeding hearts come in?
The common bleeding heart, L spectabilis, blooms with pink heart-shaped blossoms with a white “drip” of inner blossoms peeking out the bottom. Other varieties bloom with all-white, scarlet, or soft pink petals.
Do bleeding hearts come back every year?
Bleeding hearts are perennials and are hard in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 8. That means they go dormant but come back the next year.
Do bleeding hearts bloom all summer?
Bleeding hearts generally bloom in late spring through early summer. They tend to go dormant in mid-summer, or even earlier under hot and dry conditions.
Can bleeding hearts grow in pots?
Bleeding hearts can be grown in containers; just be sure to choose a pot that’s large enough to house the plant at its mature size, which may reach up to three feet. For the best conditions, choose a draining container with a rich, well-draining potting mix and add a balanced, time-released fertilizer when you pot the plant.
Petal Republic’s Flower and Plant Guides:
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Linsay is an American copywriter based in the Pacific Northwest with a background in academic writing and research. Linsay holds Master's degree in both Anthropology and Library and Information Sciences and has written for numerous national and international publications including USA Today, SFGATE, Hunker, and The Bump across an array of topics in the gardening, green living, and travel sectors. When she's not writing, you'll usually find Linsay reading, kayaking, sailing, snowboarding, or working in her garden.
FAQs
A bleeding heart can represent romance, dedicated love, and compassion. These traits are perfectly signified by the plant's unique, heart-shaped blossoms.
What are the parts of a bleeding heart flower? ›
The unique 1-2 inch long, delicate-looking pendant flowers are vaguely heart-shaped. Each puffy bloom has two rose-pink outer petals and two white inner petals, with a white stamen protruding from the bottom. The pouched outer petals have strongly reflexed tips from which the inner petals protrude slightly.
What to do with bleeding heart after flowering? ›
BLEEDING HEART CARE TIPS
Once the foliage has turned yellow and wilted, the plant can be cut back to the ground. It's important to wait, because up until that time the leaves are busy collecting and storing food and energy for next year. Flower stalks can be deadheaded after blooming to keep your plant looking clean.
Do bleeding hearts like sun or shade? ›
Dicentra, also known as bleeding heart, is an easy-to-grow perennial for USDA Zones 3 to 9. The plants thrive in cool, moist, shady areas and take their name from their heart-shaped blooms, which usually open in early spring and attract thirsty hummingbirds.
What is the meaning of blood flower? ›
noun. 1. : a tropical herb (Asclepias curassavica) with orange-red flowers. : blood lily.
What does every flower represent? ›
What Does Each Flower Mean?
| Meanings of Herbs, Flowers and Other Plants |
|---|
| Iris | Faith, trust, Wisdom, Hope, Valor |
| Ivy | Affection, Friendship, Fidelity |
| Jasmine, white | Sweet love, Amiability |
| Jasmine, yellow | Grace; Elegance |
128 more rowsThey bloom in mid-to-late spring to early summer, and die back over the hotter months, reappearing in all their splendor next season. Bleeding hearts will thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, bloom times may vary.
What is unusual about the bleeding heart? ›
There are over 20 species of Dicentra - most of which go by the common name “Dutchman's Britches.” Bleeding heart is an outlier from most other species and is remarkably uniform in its characteristics. It apparently cannot be crossed with the other species so no hybrids are available.
Are bleeding hearts toxic? ›
Is Bleeding Heart Toxic? Bleeding heart plants contain isoquinoline alkaloids that are toxic to humans and animals. Serious cases of poisoning are common in dogs and horses, but much less common in humans. The toxins in bleeding heart can cause liver damage and seizures in humans when ingested in large quantities.
What happens if you touch a bleeding heart plant? ›
All parts of the bleeding heart plant are toxic, both when eaten and when touched. A touch causes skin irritation. Eating the plant induces vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and breathing difficulty.
If you cut it back while it's still green, it will come back much smaller next spring. Cutting back bleeding heart plants should only be done after the foliage naturally fades, which should happen in early to midsummer as temperatures begin to rise.
Can bleeding hearts be cut back after blooming? ›
A: Yes, you can certainly cut back a bleeding heart as soon as it yellows, but I must admit, this is a little early for that to be happening. Usually they last until the heat of July sets in. Whenever it gets unsightly, feel free to clean it up. Cutting it back won't harm next year's growth or flowering.
How often should you water bleeding hearts? ›
Water regularly to keep the soil lightly moist. But avoid hitting bleeding heart leaves with water, as this can promote fungal disease. Bleeding heart needs roughly an 1 inch of water per week.
How do you keep a bleeding heart blooming? ›
Heavy soil and overly moist locations can also cause diminished flowering. Bleeding hearts favor moist, rich soil but cannot tolerate boggy conditions. Plants growing in full sun will also struggle to bloom long. Plant the ornamental in a shady to dappled location for better displays.
Do bleeding hearts attract bugs? ›
Bleeding-heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is an old-fashioned perennial that adds color and charm to shady spots in your garden. While the plant is surprisingly easy to grow, it can fall prey to a number of pesky insects.
What flower means warrior? ›
Gladiolus flower meaning
Both the fighter and the flower get their name from the Latin word gladius, which means sword. Symbolizing strength, victory, and power, the flowers come in long, pointy-shaped stalks that are reminiscent of a sword.
What is the flower of royalty? ›
Among its color variety, purple asters are most common and generally symbolize wisdom and royalty.
Why is it called the death flower? ›
Due to its odor, like that of a rotting corpse, the titan arum is characterized as a carrion flower, and is also known as the corpse flower or corpse plant (Indonesian: bunga bangkai—bunga means flower, while bangkai can be translated as corpse, cadaver, or carrion).
What flower means God? ›
Pinks hold a deep Christian significance. They were associated with the nails used in the Crucifixion and coronations, while the name dianthus translates to “flower of God” (from the original Greek Dios for Zeus), and can be found represented in numerous illuminated manuscripts.
What is the most meaningful flower? ›
Heliotrope. Just when you thought the rose was the most meaningful flower, the heliotrope steals the show; it means eternal love.
Red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty.
How many years do bleeding hearts last? ›
If winter doesn't arrive too early you should be able to enjoy a second flowering towards the end of fall. Cut the stems back when flowering is over. Lift bleeding hearts and replant them every 3 to 4 years.
Do bleeding hearts have a scent? ›
‚Valentine‚ Bleeding Heart is a compact variety with dark green leaves and fragrant, deep red flowers that hang from true red stems.
Can I grow bleeding heart from cuttings? ›
Bleeding heart propagation is easy through seed, cuttings, or division. Cuttings and division will give plants truer to the parent plant and a quicker bloom time. These are simple ways to grow more bleeding hearts to share with friends and family.
Why are they called bleeding hearts? ›
The term “bleeding hearts” refers to people who care deeply — so deeply that their hearts bleed — about the suffering of the needy. The term is almost always derogatory. It's usually applied to those on the left, hence the phrase “bleeding heart liberal.”
How did bleeding heart get its name? ›
The common name comes from the flowers which look like a drop of red blood exuding from the heart-shaped calyx.
Why is a bleeding heart called a bleeding heart? ›
The bleeding heart plant (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) gets its common name from its puffy, heart-shaped pink flowers that dangle from long, arching stems. Beneath the heart shape is a protruding white petal that looks like a drop—hence the "bleeding" in bleeding heart.
What are bleeding hearts good for? ›
A tincture made from Pacific bleeding heart can ease the pain of sprains or bruises. It can also calm the nervous system, which can help alleviate anxiety or insomnia. The Skagit people used Pacific bleeding heart as a toothache and hair growth remedy (Moerman 1998).
What animal eats bleeding heart flowers? ›
Thrips. Thrips are tiny, slender sap-sucking insects that feed on the stems, flowers, and foliage of bleeding hearts.
What eats bleeding heart plant? ›
Aphids, slugs, scales, and snails are the most common pests you can find preying on bleeding heart plants. You can apply a commercial or homemade insecticidal soap spray to prevent most posts or try neem oil.
Classic companions include hostas and ferns. Their foliage is usually picking up speed just as the bleeding heart finishes blooming and begins to decline. Brunnera macrophylla makes a good partner as well. The cultivar 'Jack Frost' is very popular.
Can dogs eat bleeding hearts? ›
Toxicity to pets
Bleeding Heart plants are not only toxic to animals but humans as well. Although aesthetically pleasing, this plant contains soquinoline alkaloids. Alkaloids negatively affect animals, most commonly cattle, sheep, and dogs.
Are bleeding hearts hard to grow? ›
Bleeding hearts are hardy, tough plants. Grow bleeding hearts in part shade in cool, moist, fertile soil. They can last for many years in the garden and can be divided in early spring when they first pop out of the ground.
Can you over water a bleeding heart plant? ›
Just as too little water can cause leaves to turn yellow, so can too much water. Overwatering your bleeding hearts makes it difficult for the roots to receive adequate oxygen and can lead to root rot and fungal diseases.
Why are the leaves on my bleeding heart turning yellow? ›
Bleeding hearts are sensitive to overwatering, which oftentimes causes the leaves to turn yellow. Water only twice a week during the summer, and then gradually reduce water toward the end of summer. Throughout winter, water your bleeding heart vine only about twice a month.
When should you cut down a bleeding heart? ›
1. Cut Back the Plants. The first step to preparing bleeding hearts for chilly weather is to cut them back in the late summer or fall, or whenever the leaves have turned from yellow to brown, and are good and dead. Mind you, the plant itself isn't dead, it's just gone dormant.
Will bleeding heart bloom in full shade? ›
The flowers fade, the leaves die back, and the plant goes dormant in late spring or early summer. Bleeding Hearts are woodland plants so they enjoy the partial shade of spring-flowering trees such as dogwoods and serviceberries. They won't flower in deep shade.
How close together can you plant bleeding hearts? ›
Plant Old Fashioned Bleeding Hearts, as well as its cultivar 'Gold Hearts', between 24 and 30 inches apart. However, position the white variety as well as the cultivar Valentine, (which do not grow quite as large) about 18 inches apart. Planting: Plant the tubers in early spring or fall.
Where is the best place to plant a bleeding heart plant? ›
The bleeding heart plant likes to be planted in organic soil in a shady or part shade area. Work compost into the area before planting the bleeding heart plant in fall or spring. Organic mulch breaks down over time to supply nutrients and helps retain moisture.
Are coffee grounds good for bleeding heart plants? ›
Acid-loving plants such as Azaleas, Bleeding Hearts, Holly, Hydrangeas, Magnolia, Dogwood plants and roses will thrive off of soil fertilized with coffee. Mix your grinds with dead grasses, leaves or dry straw to neutralize some of the acidity.
If your bleeding-heart vine refuses to bloom, the most likely cause is that it was unable to cool during winter; these plants need a cool period during winter to bloom in the spring.
Can bleeding hearts be cut flowers? ›
After the appropriate cold period, bleeding hearts can be forced easily for cut flowers or grown as potted plants.
Do bleeding hearts attract hummingbirds? ›
Bleeding Hearts are another shade-loving plant that attracts hummingbirds, although these perennials can grow quite large. Once you plant a bleeding heart, you can enjoy the bright flowers for years to come.
Do butterflies like bleeding heart? ›
Bleeding hearts are one of many common garden flowers that will attract and nurture all kinds of butterflies.
Do bees like bleeding hearts? ›
Its flowers are little red and pink hearts with a “droplet” at the tip. Bees love them, and now, so do we. We planted Fringed Bleeding Heart two years ago in front of the Manor House, mostly to fill in until our new shrubs got big enough to occupy the space.
What flower symbolizes a broken heart? ›
6. Cyclamen. Cyclamen are a good flower to send someone if you've just broken up. However, if you're still together it's recommended that you avoid this pretty flower which symbolizes separation.
What does bleeding heart plant attract? ›
It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, as well as other beneficial pollinators. Bleeding heart can spread naturally by rhizomes or self-seeding. You can also propagate it by root cuttings and division.
What flower represents loneliness? ›
Region or culture
| Flower | Meaning |
|---|
| Foxglove | Insecurity |
| Freesia | Innocence, thoughtfulness |
| Fungus | Resilience, loneliness, solitude, disgust |
| Gardenia | Secret love, joy, sweet love, good luck |
136 more rowsa bleeding heart tattoo design commonly represents a loved one's death. This design captures the feeling of losing strength and hurting.
What flower means I will love you forever? ›
Admired for its sweet scent and trailing vines of pink and orange flowers, the honeysuckle symbolizes devoted and everlasting love.
Zinnias. Meaning: “I miss you.” Maybe send them to: A long-distance love or friend.
What flower represents true love? ›
Red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty. The meaning of yellow tulips has evolved from once representing hopeless love to now being a common expression for cheerful thoughts and sunshine. White tulips are used to claim worthiness or to send a message of forgiveness.
Are bleeding hearts poisonous? ›
Is Bleeding Heart Toxic? Bleeding heart plants contain isoquinoline alkaloids that are toxic to humans and animals. Serious cases of poisoning are common in dogs and horses, but much less common in humans. The toxins in bleeding heart can cause liver damage and seizures in humans when ingested in large quantities.
What month do bleeding hearts bloom? ›
Bleeding hearts bloom all summer long
The first delicate sprouts appear above the ground in early spring and by July the plants should be in full bloom.
What flower means goodbye? ›
Chrysanthemum. White and yellow chrysanthemums are widely used to say goodbye, particularly in Asia.
What flower represents jealousy? ›
Yellow roses
Nothing screams infidelity and a broken heart like receiving a yellow rose, the ultimate symbol of jealousy and greed in the Victorian language of flowers.
What does 3 period tattoo mean? ›
The three dots tattoo is a common prison tattoo that represents “mi vida loca,” or “my crazy life.” It's not associated with any particular gang, but with the gang lifestyle itself.
What does the 3 hearts tattoo mean? ›
The three hearts tattoos are designed of three separate hearts that are linked together horizontally. These three hearts most commonly symbolize the past, the present, and the future.
Is bleeding heart plant unlucky? ›
In some cultures, the bleeding heart flower can represent spurned or rejected love. However, it can also simply symbolize feeling compassion and love for everything in creation. Bleeding heart flowers can also bridge the connection between life and death.
