Dicentra 'Aurora'

Long blooming, this bleeding heart produces sprays of weeping, heart-shaped blossoms from late spring to late summer. The white flowers blush pink and dangle gracefully on long, leafless stems above the deeply cut, fern-like, grey-green foliage.

Don't let the delicate flowers and elegant lacy leaves fool you. This herbaceous perennial is rugged enough to be planted in a rock garden and hardy enough to grow in Zone 3. And unlike other bleeding hearts, it won't go dormant in summer if watered consistently. Applying a 2-inch layer of mulch over a thin layer of compost helps retain moisture, and removing faded flowers regularly keeps the blooms coming.

A compact, dwarf shrub, growing approximately 1 foot tall and wide, it is very versatile, great for edging or underplanting, and can even be grown as a groundcover. Mass plantings definitely give the best effect. It grows well in fertile, hummus rich, moist, well-drained soil, and thrives in dappled sunlight. It is full shade tolerant; however, it won't flower as heavily in full shade.

Deer and rabbit resistant.

Uses: Rock Gardens, Underplanting of Shrubs, Borders, Mass Planting, Groundcover