bleeding heart

Any of several species of Dicentra, a genus of herbaceous flowering plants of the poppy family (Papaveraceae). The old garden favourite is the Japanese D. spectabilis, which has small rosy-red and white heart-shaped flowers dangling from arching stems. The eastern, or wild, bleeding heart (D. eximia) produces sprays of small pink flowers from April to September in the Allegheny Mountains region of the U.S. The Pacific, or western, bleeding heart (D. formosa), ranging from California to British Columbia, has several varieties of garden interest.

Find more information on bleeding heart. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on bleeding heart.