Valentine Bleeding Heart

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Valentine'

flower

Valentine is a striking modern bleeding heart, an old-fashioned cottage favorite reborn in richer color. Where the classic old bleeding heart hangs rosy-pink lockets, Valentine drips brilliant cherry-red, heart-shaped flowers with white tips along arching stems, and the flower stems themselves are a deep wine-red, on a more compact and upright 2 to 3 foot plant. It blooms in mid to late spring over soft blue-green, ferny foliage, then like all bleeding hearts goes dormant and disappears by midsummer, especially in heat. A treasure for the shaded border and woodland garden, it is best tucked among hostas, ferns, and later perennials that fill the gap it leaves behind.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Patriot Hosta — Its bold leaves expand to fill the gap as the bleeding heart goes summer-dormant in the same moist shade
• Ferns — Woodland partners that hide the fading foliage and share the cool, humusy, shaded soil
• Palace Purple Coral Bells — Evergreen purple foliage that carries the bed after the bleeding heart disappears

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Cluster on tender stems and buds - rinse off with water and encourage ladybugs

• Slugs →

  Chew the soft spring foliage in damp shade - hand-pick at night and clear debris around the crown

• Snails →

  Like slugs, they rasp holes in leaves - trap or hand-pick and avoid heavy mulch right at the crown

• Scale →

  Occasional bumps on stems - prune out heavily infested growth; rarely a serious problem

🌸 Blooms & cutting

Bleeding heart makes a charming, if short-lived, cut flower - snip the arching stems in the cool morning when several hearts have opened along them for a delicate woodland arrangement. In the garden the main rule is patience with the dying foliage: never cut it back while green, since the ripening leaves recharge the roots for next year, and simply let it fade away by midsummer. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin, as the sap can irritate.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

An ornamental shade perennial grown for its dangling spring hearts. The early flowers offer some nectar to bees and the occasional hummingbird, but it is grown purely for its woodland charm. Toxic to pets if eaten.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Bleeding heart contains isoquinoline alkaloids and is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses if eaten, causing drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and in large amounts tremors or seizures; the roots are the most concentrated. The sap can also irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when handling it, and keep pets from digging the roots.