In the Redding area they typically bloom from March through late-May. Depending on location and elevation, the plant blooms from early spring through early summer. The pink to rose-purple flowers are pendulous and jewel-like, about 3/4inch long, puffy and perfectly heart-shaped. Rising above the ferny foliage, the namesake Pacific bleeding heart flowers grow in small clusters on top of a long, thin, arched stalk. The leaves are bluish green, delicate, deeply cut and fern-like in appearance. In these patches Pacific bleeding heart leaves slowly emerge directly from the rhizomes as the plant breaks dormancy during late winter and early spring. A typical plant grows up to around 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide, though some patches may reach several square feet in size. The plant has no stem, as the leaf and flower stalks grow directly from the roots. Pacific bleeding heart grows from rhizomes that occur near the soil surface and prefers shady areas with at least seasonal moisture. In California it occurs in the Klamath Mountains, the Coast and Cascade ranges, and the Sierra Nevada, where it grows from near sea level to around 7,000 feet in moist woodland and conifer forest habitats. Pacific bleeding heart is native to the Pacific Northwest, occurring in portions of Idaho and northwestern Montana, and from southern British Columbia to California. Either way, this attractive species is always exciting to see in the wild, where it often forms dense patches on the forest floor. Pacific bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa, is a herbaceous perennial species in the Papaveraceae, or poppy family though some sources classify it in the Fumariaceae, or fumitory family. One of the earliest herbaceous plants in our surrounding foothills and forests to emerge from winter dormancy also happens to be one of the most beautiful.Įach year during late-winter the ferny foliage of Pacific bleeding heart slowly begins to emerge from its moist shady habitats among the forest floor, letting us know that spring is not too far away.įinding this plant in the wild can be sometimes challenging, but fortunately for us this species also grows quite well in local gardens and provides an easy way to enjoy the burst of its unique foliage and stunning flowers that soon follow.
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