A Valentine flower for your favorite gardener

Dicentra spectabilis 'Valentine' is high on my wish list of new plants for the garden. This version of the old garden classic Bleeding Heart has cherry red heart-shaped flowers that "dangle from arching, dark red stems in spring. This newcomer offers a different color than the typical pink form, but keeps the same tall, graceful habit of the old fashioned Bleeding Heart," according to the Klehm on-line catalog. In the photo from the Klehm catalog directly below you can easily see the color is as described. 

Tony Avent, in the on-line catalog of Plant Delights, notes that the flower color actually was as good — if not better — in person than in the photos he'd seen, having initially been concerned that the red coloration was more Photoshop than reality. He also points out that the grey-green lobed foliage emerges with a reddish tint. I've included the Plant Delights catalog photo below because I think it provides a better view of the foliage than the Klehm image. Even though the new flower color is the selling point, it is the foliage that we will live with for most of the season.

Though Dicentra spectabilis is often listed as a partial to full shade plant, in my experience it can take a fair amount of sun as long as it has enough moisture. It is hardy in Zones 3-9, and will grow to about 2' x 2'. Klehm's Song Sparrow Nursery is offering Dicentra spectabilis 'Valentine' for $18.95 for a 2.06 qt. container, 3 for $53.00. Plant Delights is offering it for $16.00.

Locally the Flower Factory also lists it in their 2012 catalog for only $9.00. I am going to take a chance that it will be available at FF and plan to get there early on opening day, April 21. Their plants are always good size and, at that price, if I thought it was too small I could always buy two and still come out ahead of mail order shipping costs. 

Comments

[Erin @ The Impatient Gardener]

Oh it is beautiful. I have a love-hate relationship with Dicentra, based mostly on the cultivar. This is probaby one I could love.

[Isabella Ruatoka]

Some people associate this flower with being broken-hearted because of its resemblance to a bleeding heart. But it can actually give off a sense of hope, since the flowers still look wonderful in every way. I hope you get what I mean… :)