Dicentra ‘King of Hearts’ sports perfect, Rubenesque hearts of rich, rosy pink carried in showy clusters 8 to 12 inches above tight rosettes of tidy, parsley-like blue-green foliage. It is perhaps the most outstanding of all recent Dicentra introductions. It has inherited the following traits: astonishing vigor; sun and heat tolerance; flowers that appear from late spring into fall; and lacy, soft blue-green foliage. Unlike the Common Bleeding Heart, Dicentra ‘King of Hearts’ will not go dormant in midsummer as long as the soil is kept moist. Flowering may continue throughout the summer in cool northern climates. Given adequate moisture, the foliage remains attractive in summer, and may produce an attractive ground cover effect. It will enchant passersby all season long except in very hot climates where the plants enter semi-dormancy, but then resume flowering when the temperatures cool in late summer through autumn. It is easy to grow and it looks fabulous planted in groups towards the front of a shady border.
Dicentra should be planted in locations that are protected from high winds and early frosts, such as the edges of woodlands or on the north or east sides of buildings. It may be propagated by division in either spring or fall, and should be done every few years to maintain vigor.
