Bleeding heart - is it really native

12 years ago

Now that everyone has me skeptical about what's truly native... is bleeding heart really native? Most of what I see online is that it's not. But yet I see it listed here:

http://green.kingcounty.gov/gonative/Plant.aspx?Act=view&PlantID=40

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reg_pnw7

12 years ago

If you want to determine whether a plant is native or not you're going to have to use the full scientific name. Not the common name, and not just the genus name. You need genus AND species name. There are many related species that share a common name and are in the same genus but the different species are native to different areas. Bleeding heart is a perfect example. Dicentra formosa, as noted above, is locally native in western Washington. The garden bleeding heart, Dicentra spectabilis and its cultivars, is not native in the western US. It might be an east coast native or it might be from Europe, I dunno.

The vast majority of our garden plants are not locally native but come from either Europe, or China or Japan. But there will be many cousins among all these plants and our own natives, sharing common and genus names. Like dicentras, and peony, and rhododendrons, and wild roses, and bellflowers, and larkspurs and columbines.

"most of what I see online" is not going to be a reliable guide to what's native here since the online world is global. You'll need the full scientific name, but if the source of info isn't accurate, you're lost. Your link above to King County's site is a good source and it does give the full scientific name for the native bleeding heart. Now you just need to match that full scientific name with the labels at the nursery when shopping. Don't rely on a plant being labeled 'native' at the nursery - I've seen ivy labeled as being 'native' because it grows wild. Pretty different definition of 'native' from what you're interested in! And too often plants are labeled as being 'native' when they're native to some part of North America but not here, like California poppy or arrowwood viburnum. Nationwide chains don't care about local natives. It's bad when there's a local native species but it's the east coast native that's being marketed, like with ninebarks, snakeroots, viburnums, wintergreens and maples.

If you're in Seattle, go to the UW bookstore, and look in the Gardening section for books on gardening with PNW native plants. There's at least one written by a UW professor.

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Comments (11)

tanowicki
12 years ago
Dicentra formosa is a native. Most of the bleeding heart plants you'll buy called bleeding heart are likely some other dicentra. I have both next to each other and the non native ones I have bloom longer and have smaller leaves. But they are obviously related.
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buyorsell888
12 years ago
Dicentra spectabilis is now named Lamprocapnos spectabilis and is native to China and Japan.

Dicentra formosa is native to the Western US and is easily spotted in the forest in OR and WA. Be warned, in the garden it can almost become invasive. It even grows vigorously in dry shade under Douglas firs where of course, it is in it's natural habitat.

Dicentra eximia is native to the Eastern US

Most that you find at the garden center are hybrids such as 'Luxuriant', 'King of Hearts', etc. I find them much smaller spreading than the native. Brighter, prettier flowers too though I grow them all. I think I have about ten all together.
Embothrium
12 years ago
Actually the typical situation for native bleeding heart in nature is a moist place, where it will often be seen in my area with vine maple - another indicator of moist soil. Yet, it is true both will grow in seemingly drier situations in cultivation. Wild occurrence might have to do with the fact that there they will never ever be given water, and have to be located where there is some insulation from unusually dry summer years in order to survive. Or the moister places are where seedlings are able to take hold and live through the early years, a stage of vulnerability no longer being experienced by specimens having reached typical sizes sold at outlets.

I continue to find D. formosa 'Bacchanal' the most striking of them all. It was originally selected in Bothell, WA. A white form of the native I am growing is also very nice.
botann
12 years ago
I have a white form also. The foliage is a bit blue. Not quite blooming yet.
Dicentra formosa, our native, is the predominate groundcover in a fifty year old, forty acre, stand of Red Alder next to me.
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Mike
Embothrium
12 years ago
Yep: moist deciduous woodland.
kristincarol
12 years ago
Grows in the Redwoods of California, too. (and all over my yard--those seeds sure to travel!)
buyorsell888
12 years ago
I meant that our PNW Douglas fir forests are it's natural habitat not that our Western OR/WA forests are dry.

The bed in my yard is dry as a bone

I have 'Bacchanal' and do really like it. I have the blue foliaged white one too though do not know the exact cultivar. I have 'Spring Gold' too and the spectabilis 'Gold Heart' and the normal one.

I have not had good luck with 'Burning Hearts' have had two die. :(
Embothrium
12 years ago
Blue foliaged white one might be 'Langtrees'. Unless it's all white.
buyorsell888
12 years ago
Yes, I think it is 'Langtrees' here is a picture. Meant to deadhead the daffodils but didn't....

'Spring Gold' just starting to bloom
buyorsell888
12 years ago
Now that is thoroughly irritating. I haven't moved nor deleted my photos. Sorry.