You mean spread along the ground? Mine has not spread at all on the ground. You can put it on a large trellis or fence and it will spread up. I would say it is a medium growing vine. It's too big for a mailbox, but not out of control. You can wack it back if it gets too big.

On Dave's Garden (link is apparently not allowed), all 4 negatives are from Florida regarding it being invasive. One person said "The "running" of the underground rhizomes reminds me of temperate (running) bamboo."

It'll be planted next to some azaleas so I'm worried about it sending up new shoots and overrunning the azaleas.

Which bleeding heart vine do you have? I think the white/red is better behaved than the red/purple. I have both and my rwd/purple does come up in other places, but I've had it over 10 years and I've kept it under control ...and that's saying a lot for me. I do think most clerodendrums like to expand their territory, but some a lot worse than others. I would say the red/purple bleeding heart is about in the middle of the pack.

Did I confuse you?

Ginny

Not confused at all. Well at least not any more than I'm normally confused.

Here's a quick pic:

As you can see it is the white/red one. So the red/white one doesn't spread underground? *crosses fingers*

Yup, I have the red and white one. In the last 5 years or so it has not spread one runner under the ground.

I have the red/white one and it is a very well mannered vine. In 7 years there have only been 2 places where another plant popped up and they were easily removed. I say plant and enjoy!

What an informative thread! I've avoided all bleeding heart vines after having read, just like Jellybobelly, of their invasive tendencies. Now I can reconsider. Thanks to all for the info. - June

I had two, but they were hard hit by the freeze. I didn't find them to be invasive and the hummingbirds loved them. I don't know if they are coming back yet.

My red Bleeding Hearts have been terribly invasive .
They like full sun and neglect .
I had a white one in the shade and it never did well .
The freezes finally killed it .
The others - yikes !
You're much better off with the white .

Here in Jacksonville, my white one freezes all the way back to the ground every year and by spring, appears dead as a doornail. Then... surprise! It is a slow starter but makes a full rebound by mid-May. In part sun/part shade, it is a beautiful bloomer. Doesn't do as well in full sun or full shade.

I recently acquired the pink variety and plan to grow it in a container.

Carol

I my post asking about growing Morning Glories in containers I asked about other flowering vines I could grow in pots and run up the tomato cages for the summer. Bleeding Heart was 4th on my list behind mandevilla, coral honeysuckle, and winter jasmine only because I thought it was a shade-lover. Will the red/white Bleeding Heart grow okay in full sun in Zone 10?

Tom

Tom, it will if you give it plenty of water. If it could get some afternoon shade, it would do a little better.

Carol

I have the purple and red variety and while it will go crazy on it's trellis I only find a pop up vine once in a while. It definately will need trimming unless you want it in a large area but if I don't have the time sometimes I just rip off its' arms and it doesn't care. :)

It will spread but I have to say it's VERY easily controllable. It's one of the best vines I have seen for filling in big areas. It blooms pretty much all year except the coldest months and is easily propagated by cuttings. One funny note I have found is that the richer and better the soil the worse it seems to do. I have had tremendous success with this vine in some of the worst soil on my property.

Will the red/white Bleeding Heart grow okay in full sun in Zone 10?

Tom

Tom, it will if you give it plenty of water. If it could get some afternoon shade, it would do a little better.

Carol

Hummmm, The spot where I wanted to put it is southern exposure with full sun all day long...doesn't sound like a good idea right now with us in the "dry" season and quite a few cloudless days until mid-afternoon. By the time I get home from work some of my potted plants are wilting.

Tom

Tom,

I abused my white bleeding heart vine planted in southern exposure for a year with absolutely no supplemental watering or fertilization. The vine died back with the freezes but is starting to come back now. The white bleeding heart is my favorite vine outside of the hoya species. It just may be worth a whirl in your southern exposure, especially if it's in a sprinkler zone.

Enjoy your new vine, Jelly, and thanks for the pic! I think you'll love it.

Try this - get a small laundrey basket at the dollar store. Plant your bleeding heart in that and then plant the whole thing in the ground. You can leave the rim above ground as a border or cover it completely. In late fall/early winter the plant loses most of it leaves and looks real woody. You can remover the entire thing from the ground and prune both the top and the roots. Replant in same place. Fertilize it when you see new growth in the spring. It should be in full bloom by late spring.

Okay, I'm convinced, I'll be picking up a BH this weekend ;-)

Tom

If you want to keep it really under control, just plant it in full shade and never water or fertilize it. Mine is the meekest little thing with sweet sprays of blooms here and there (it's a white/red.)

I didn't actually put it there. I put the shade there. (Six-foot privacy fence south of it.)
I figured my fence would kill it, but it still blooms every year, inching out toward the sun but never quite making it.

I have had Bleeding Heart Vines for several years now, some come back in Spring, others have not but I always keep it hanging on my uncovered patio. I gets shade all morning and very hot sun in the afternoon, I live in South Louisiana. The hot sun has never killed it, I just keep it well watered everyday in hottest months such as July & August here. The don't always have blooms on them all summer but seem to want to bloom in late summer, very beautiful hanging vine, very large.