The Dicentra heart type includes 20 plant species; some of them are grown in gardens for their ornamental foliage and flowers.The Polish name is associated with the unusual structure of flowers: each of them consists of four petals of the crown, two of which are heart-shaped and spur-like tips, and the two inside, with a fingernail, are smaller and look like flowing from the heart drop.
Such a structure of flowers is best visible in the heart of the magnificent Dicentra spectabilis - the most famous and liked representative of the genus.However, you should know that since 1997 the species has already had another botanical name, namely Lamprocapnos spectabilis, and is the only one to represent the genus Lamprocapnos. But the Polish name has not changed so far.
Hearts turned out Lamprocapnos spectabilis, also known as "Hansel's heart" and "beautiful lady", comes from China and Japan. It grows up to 60-100 cm, forms pinnate, blue-green leaves (in the 'Gold Heart' variety they are yellow).The flowers have large, showy, pink-white (in the varieties white or pink-purple, reddish) in the shape of flattened hearts, suspended in a row on arched shoots. It blooms in May-June.
In July, the aboveground part dries up, so we plant it singly or in a small group among plants that develop later, e.g. funkas, ferns, some species of geraniums, tavels, autumn anemones. Inflorescence shoots can be used in floristic compositions. It belongs to long-lived perennials.
Other varieties of hearts
Hearts wonderful Dicentra eximia comes from North America. It is a perennial 20-50 cm high, forming scaly rhizomes from which leaves and inflorescence shoots grow.Due to its blue-green, fern-like leaves, retaining their decorative value until autumn, it is considered the most beautiful of all cultivated heart species .
Above the leaves there are inflorescences with clusters of small hanging flowers of pink-purple or white color, such as the 'Alba' and 'Snowdrift' varieties. It blooms in May and June and again, although less profusely, in the second half of summer. Plants of this species look good in flowerbeds accompanied by epimediums, ferns, primroses, and sunbeams.
Beautiful hearts Dicentra formosa also come from North America. It reaches a height of 20-60 cm. It grows with underground, thin, fleshy rhizomes. Its leaves are pinnate, long-tailed; bluish in 'Paramount', gray-green in 'Luxuriant' or bluish-green in 'Bacchanal'.The flowers form small paniculate inflorescences, pink in the species, and white ('Alba'), carmine ('Bacchanal') or dark red ('Luxuriant') in the varieties. Plants bloom from June to September, but not very profusely. It is worth planting them on rockeries and slopes, because their "fern-like" leaves contrast with the gray of the stones in an interesting way.
Japanese hearts Dicentra peregrina occurs naturally in Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Northeast Siberia and Kamchatka.Forms short rhizomes and numerous fleshy roots.Its butt-shaped leaves, deeply cut, blue-green in color, are very decorative. 15 cm long flower shoots grow above the leaves. The flowers are usually pink, less often light purple or white with carmine tips. These hearts bloom from May to June.
Growing conditions and reproduction
The hearts turned out to grow well in any, if only not too compact and dry, soil, in a sunny and semi-shaded position.In spring, it is worth supplementing it with mineral or natural fertilizer.Both wonderful and beautiful hearts require a humus substrate, slightly acidic and constantly moderately moist, as well as partially shaded places.
The most demanding is the Japanese hearts, which grows best in a humus-gravel substrate with the addition of coarse peat and clay with a pH from neutral to slightly acidic. It does not tolerate drought and places directly exposed to sunlight, as well as standing water, compacted ground and excess moisture in winter.All described perennials winter well.
The heart should be propagated by dividing it at the end of August or by means of apical shoot cuttings in the spring.
