Dicentra ‘King of Hearts' 

Many of us are “forced” to garden in less than sunny conditions, and the flowers of most shade plants can be less than overwhelming. While it is true that there is much beauty in the color and contrasts of foliage, deep in our hearts we long for just a little more flower power, a burst of color among the leaves to draw the eye and illicit oohs and ahhs from our visitors. What if our dream plant could flower for the whole season? (we muse as our eyes get that dreamy, far-away look usually reserved for reveries of tropical vacations…)

Dreams become reality with Dicentra ‘King of Hearts'. This tight little bleeding heart (8” x 18”) performs best in partial shade, but handles more sun as needed. It is a hybrid of interspecific crosses of western bleeding heart (D. formosana), eastern bleeding heart (D. eximia) and the rare and beautiful Japanese bleeding heart (D. peregrina); the latter imparts its tight habit and gorgeous foliage color (new foliage is green but fades to a dusty robins' egg blue). The plant seems unaware that it is a sterile hybrid, trying with all its might to set seed on the profusion of blooms that envelop the plant from May until frost, reddish-pink blossoms that offer a perfect contrast to the blue-green foliage. Given a moist, organic soil this plant will perform admirably with little or no help for the grand majority of the U.S. (Zones 3-8) for most of the season; how could the plant get any better?

We at Prides are pleased to have found a way to do just that. Dicentra ‘King of Hearts' is now available as part of our Pink Ribbon Plants campaign. Prides Corner Farms will donate 10% of the sales of this plant to breast cancer research, a disease that touches far too many of our lives. What better way to light up those shady spots in the yard than a heartfelt donation to a good cause? The reminder of your good deed will be a gift to yourself that you and your family will appreciate for years to come. Please check out our Pink Ribbon page to find out where to buy this outstanding new plant and get yours today…