How to Grow Burning Heart
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Burning Heart
Dicentra formosa 'Burning Heart'
flowerBurning Heart is a cultivar of Pacific bleeding heart featuring distinctive coral-red to bright red heart-shaped flowers with white inner petals, creating a striking bicolor effect. This shade-loving perennial blooms profusely from spring through early summer and produces delicate, finely-dissected fern-like foliage that remains attractive throughout the growing season. It's an excellent choice for woodland gardens and shaded borders.
When should you plant Burning Heart in your zone?
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Example Burning Heart timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Burning Heart
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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First Burning Heart blooms
Mid-to-late summerBefore the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Burning Heart dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-9, preferring cooler to moderate climates
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Emergence
2-3 weeksNew shoots emerge from the ground with tightly furled fern-like foliage
Ensure consistent moisture as growth begins. Remove any old foliage from previous year. Apply mulch to regulate soil temperature.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksDelicate, finely-dissected blue-green to gray-green foliage expands into a mounding mound, 12-18 inches tall
Water regularly to maintain moist soil. Apply balanced fertilizer in early spring. Keep area mulched to conserve moisture and cool roots.
Flowering
6-10 weeks (spring to early summer)Abundant sprays of coral-red to bright red heart-shaped flowers with white inner petals emerge on thin stems above the foliage
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued blooming. Maintain consistent moisture for best flower production. Provide afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Summer Dormancy
Variable, typically by mid-JulyFoliage yellows and dies back as temperatures warm; plant enters dormancy
Reduce watering gradually. Do not cut back foliage until completely brown. Plant dies back naturally in summer heat, which is normal.
Dormancy & Overwintering
Fall through early springPlant rests underground as a dormant rhizome. No visible above-ground growth.
Maintain light mulch cover for winter protection. Avoid disturbance. Ensure good drainage to prevent rot. In spring, new shoots will emerge.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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and
Hand-pick in early morning, use beer traps, remove debris, encourage beneficial insects like ground beetles
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Spray with strong water stream, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap, encourage natural predators
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Increase humidity, spray with water, apply miticide if severe
Uses
Not edible
CulinaryBurning Heart is ornamental only and not suitable for consumption. All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides and are toxic if ingested. [source]
Cut flowers & arrangements
CraftThe delicate coral-red heart-shaped flowers are excellent for spring bouquets, woodland arrangements, and shade garden displays. The fern-like foliage also provides attractive filler and texture. [source]
Pollinator attractant
WildlifeBurning Heart attracts bees and other pollinators with its abundant springtime blooms, supporting local pollinator populations in woodland and shade gardens. [source]
Shade garden design
HouseholdAn excellent perennial for creating visual interest and color in difficult shaded spots where many plants struggle. The bicolor flowers brighten dark corners and woodland gardens. [source]
Traditional herbal use (historical)
MedicinalWhile not recommended for home use, bleeding heart species have been used historically in traditional Chinese medicine, though modern herbalists do not recommend consuming any Dicentra species due to toxicity concerns. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Burning Heart is an ornamental flower—not typically harvested for food. Cut flowers for arrangements in the morning when stems are hydrated. Cut with a sharp knife just above a leaf node to encourage branching. Flowers last 7-10 days in a vase with fresh water.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The heart-shaped flowers have a romantic appeal—the name 'bleeding heart' comes from the appearance of a drop of blood falling from a broken heart
- 🌱 Burning Heart is a more vibrant, coral-red improvement over the species's typical pink flowers, making it a highly sought-after cultivar by gardeners
- 🌱 Unlike some shade perennials, Burning Heart often disappears completely by mid-summer in warm climates, going completely dormant, which is a normal and healthy part of its life cycle
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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