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Key characteristics

Family: Papaveraceae
Height: 12 to 18 in
Width: 18 to 24 in
Flower color: Pale sulfur yellow to creamy yellow with rosy pink inner petals
Foliage color: Soft blue-green to gray-green, finely divided fernlike leaves
Bloom time: Mid spring through early summer
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Water: Moderate moisture
Maintenance: Low, remove spent flower stems to encourage continued blooming; cut back foliage if it declines in summer heat
Growing zone: USDA zones 5 to 9
Wildlife: Bees, hummingbirds

Groundcovers

Dicentra formosa ‘Sulphur Hearts’

Sulphur Hearts Bleeding Heart

Dicentra formosa 'Sulphur Hearts' produces graceful sprays of heart-shaped flowers in soft sulphur yellow, accented by rosy pink inner petals that extend below each bloom. The flowers dangle from gently arching stems above finely divided blue-green foliage, creating an airy, fernlike texture that remains attractive through the growing season.

Blooming from mid-spring into early summer, this cultivar originates from a selected form of the western North American species.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Moderate moisture

Bloom time

Mid spring through early summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Woodland Gardens
Under Trees
Native Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Blechnums · Omphalodes · Epimediums · Foamflowers · Brunneras · Maianthemums

Design tip

Thread this selection through shaded planting beds in small, repeating groups rather than a single large mass. The scattered drifts create a gentle rhythm that leads the eye naturally through woodland gardens while preserving an informal, relaxed character.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)