Overview
Dicentra macrantha is a garden plant in the genus Dicentra, part of the Papaveraceae family. It is native to northern Burma and southern China.
About the genus
Dicentra, known collectively as the bleeding-hearts, is a genus containing eight species of herbaceous flowering perennial plants with unique, "heart"-shaped flowers and finely divided foliage. The species are, primarily, native to North America, although several are found in temperate East Asia.
Wikipedia contributors, "Dicentra", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Dicentra
In the garden
Dicentra macrantha is a rhizomatous plant in the genus Dicentra, originated from woodland and glades in northern Burma and southern China at montane elevations. Its flowers are borne in small cymes, each pendent bloom pale cream to yellow, which gives the species its local name of ‘goldfish plant’ in parts of China. Aim for a sheltered, woodland-style spot that mimics its native setting: dappled shade rather than full sun and soil that retains moisture without waterlogging. Allow room at planting for its long rhizome and avoid deep disturbance; a mulch of leaf litter or well-rotted organic matter will help conserve moisture and provide a humus layer similar to its natural habitat. Stems can reach a metre where conditions suit, so position it where the hanging clusters can be seen at eye level or slightly lower. In a UK garden it suits shaded borders, woodland edges or the back of a mixed border beneath deciduous trees, where its April to June flowering provides a pale, late-spring display. The plant spreads slowly from the rhizome, so expect modest colonisation rather than aggressive running, and plan planting gaps accordingly.
Plant details
Dicentra macrantha size, habit and characteristics
- Native to
- northern Burma, southern China
From the Fenn Plants journal
- Notes on DaffodilsWhen to plant daffodil bulbs in the UK, how deep, how to naturalise them in grass, why daffodils stop flowering (“blindness”), and why you should never mix cut daffodils with other flowers.
- Keeping Your NerveHow to garden through a heatwave — the best time to water, why deep soaks beat daily sprinkles, caring for pots and vulnerable plants, and why you can let the lawn go brown.
- Made to LastHow to clean, store and protect garden pots and planters — the frost-proof vs frost-resistant difference, winter care for terracotta and ceramic, and how to reuse a broken pot.
More in the Dicentra genus
- Dicentra eximiafringed bleeding heart
- Dicentra formosawestern bleeding heart
- Dicentra formosa 'Adrian Bloom'Pacific Bleeding-heart
- Dicentra formosa 'Alba'White Bleeding Heart
- Dicentra formosa 'Bountiful'Bleeding Heart
- Dicentra formosa 'Langtrees'bleeding heart 'Langtrees'
- Dicentra formosa 'Paramount'Bleeding Heart
- Dicentra formosa 'Silver Smith'Pacific Bleeding-heart