Hi all. What does one do with Bleeding Hearts after they have
bloomed
and start to look sort of ratty and icky? Do I cut them to the ground > or
> wait until they die like tulips? I am in zone 4.
> thanks
> al
>
Two common types of Bleeding Heart exist: Dicentra spectablis and Dicentra eximia. The former blooms earlier and naturally goes dormant in the summer. D. eximia blooms later and keeps its foliage most of the summer.
If you have D. spectablis, the foliage will naturally die off. Once it is brown, you can remove it if is unsightly. If you have D. eximia, I suspect the growing conditions aren't correct. I wouldn't cut D. eximia down, but give it some water.
Good Luck,
Guy Bradley Chesterfield MO zone 6