And I devoutly wish that I'd been forewarned by all the sites I looked at.

The only sites that would give you such specific information that you reference would be ones like this forum.

(There is lots of mentions of "Bleeding Heart" in this thread: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4843092/heliopsis-burning-hearts )

(For me I generally stay away from all heliopsis because of aphids)

I actually found the info when I googled "Does Heliopsis 'Bleeding Hearts" need to be staked." Can't remember offhand what the sites were.

But I will be removing it next spring.

I've had a couple of large clumps of Heliopsis 'Bleeding Hearts' in my borders for 3-4 years now and have never had to stake them. The red aphids have become a bigger issue, but they've always held up fine in wind and heavy rain.

First year for mine and one stem has already snapped at the base.

Edited to add that I’m a dummy; the following comments refer to Burning Heart, not Bleeding Heart. Sorry!

I like mine and though I have not found it to be particularly weak-stemmed in my garden, they are quite tall and do benefit from those half-circle supports.

Mine barely made it through this past winter, however, and currently only have two puny stems. Rabbits are a big fan as well, and I had to encircle it with chicken wire to keep it from meeting the same fate as my Tuscan Suns, which were devoured last year and didn’t grow back this spring.

And of course, the aphids, omg. The nasty red ones too…:when you squish them your gloves turn blood-red and look like part of a crime scene, lol!!

I have seeds for this years sowing (despite my first lot failing to overwinter). I hate brittle plants (I have a salvia 'Blue Butterflies which collapses with a sniff of a dogtail or swishy frock).

Well, no aphids so far, but there's still plenty of time.

Shearing them severely, earlier in the season, will stop them from flopping.

This Heliopsis was sheared. I think Bleeding Hearts behaves like the straight species. It would also grow more vertically if it is grown next to plants that will support it.

Thanks, I might try that next year if I keep it. It came as such a small plant and it took so long to take off, I certainly couldn't have sheared it this year.

I find they tend to grow a good deal taller than stated, 'Sparkling Contrast' is "suppose to be" compact to 2.5 ft ... though, heck already at 3 ft from puny spring bareroots. Never have had breakage no matter what nature has throw at them and certainly are a garden favorite for color and diversity among varieties.

I tended gardens on sandy soil, Heliopsis was quite good there, an never flopped. cant remeber them being brittle.

then I moved, now I garden on heavy loam, I never grew another Heliopsis again, they all died on me over the winter.

(I never came around to spring planting, that helped with establishing Caryopteris)

I grew some from seed planted early this year. Have been enjoying their color. They're easy from seed.