Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Lamprocapnos spectabilis, also known as bleeding heart or Asian bleeding-heart, is a species of flowering plant that is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan. It is valued in gardens and in floristry for its heart-shaped pink and white flowers that bloom in spring.

Appearance
The bleeding heart plant has arching, leafless stems studded with pink flowers with protruding white petals. Growing below the flowers are lobed green leaves. The bleeding heart plant can grow up to 30-36 inches tall and wide.

History
Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist and plant-hunter, introduced the first specimens to England from Asia in the 1840s.

Flowering and Hibernation
Bleeding heart plants will bloom for 4-6 weeks in spring. In cooler climates with adequate moisture, the bloom time may be extended into early summer.

After blooming, bleeding hearts usually go dormant until the following spring. However, if plants are kept well-watered during spring, dormancy may be delayed until late summer or early fall.

Toxins
Contact with the bleeding heart plant can cause skin irritation in some people from isoquinoline-like alkaloids. All parts of the plant will cause severe discomfort when eaten.