The bleeding heart vine is a popular flowering plant that produces pillow-like flowers. These flowers are heart-shaped that hang on the stem-like a pendulum.
Bleeding heart vine can grow in cold to warm temperatures when provided with ideal conditions.
This is a wildflower that is not grown in cultivation. But, you can grow bleeding heart vines indoors in pots or containers for their unique shaped flowers. However, its flowers are toxic to humans and pests commonly dogs. if you have pets or kids, avoid planting.
Here, we’ll see how to grow bleeding heart vine from cuttings and other related conditions.
So, keep reading…
Bleeding Heart Vine
Bleeding heart vines bloom during early spring to mid-summer. When it gets too much heat or direct sunlight its stem often disappears. But, its roots stay in the place and with regular watering regrow during fall. This plant does not like full sun, it grows well in partial shade.
How to Grow Bleeding Heart vine
Bleeding heart is not invasive but it self-seeds if not deadhead. You can grow this plant by seeds, root division, or stem cuttings. However, most gardeners prefer to propagate a new plant from a nursery.
If you have a bleeding heart plant you can grow multiple new plants with these propagation methods. Although, propagation from stem cuttings is the most common method to grow any plant.
Here, I’ll cover all propagation methods. You can grow from the technique that suits you well. You can propagate new plants, once your existing bleeding heart vine gets established or at least bloom one growing season.
How to Grow from division
The division is the best method when your bleeding heart vine stops blooming or does not bloom in the season. You can divide it into multiple sections and grow new plants from each one.
- Take a spud or shovel and dig up the plant from the ground. Dig a large circle around the plant as its stems are long.
- Its roots grow in a horizontal direction, do not hesitate to cut roots when digging. Avoid roots directly attached to stems.
- Dip up whole root balls of the plant. Remove mud from the root balls with water and fingers.
- Take a knife or gardening shear to cut root balls into multiple sections.
- You can divide the plant into two to three sections depending on its size.
- The plant divisions must have some branches, leaves, and buds.
- If you find any damaged roots or black roots, cut them down.
- Plant these divisions in different locations to grow new plants.
- You can plant them in pots, containers, or directly in the garden. Make the plant’s division stand on soil and water to keep it moist.
- Within a month the plant gets established, and you get to know when it starts producing new leaves.
How to Grow Bleeding Heart Vine from Cuttings
Growing bleeding heart vines from cuttings is one of the easiest methods to propagate. You can do this when your plant gets one year old or blooms for at least one season.
- Take a sharp gardening shear to cut the stem cutting from the plant. Do not cut too woody stem, green stem cutting with white tissues.
- The cuttings must be at least 5 to 6 inches long and have some leaves on them but no bud.
- Snip off all leaves from the bottom half of the stem cutting to make a good base to grow new roots.
- Plant the stem cutting in a pot, covered with potting mix soil. The pot should have adequate drainage holes.
- Make the cutting stand in the soil and water to make the soil moist.
- Cover the whole cutting with a plastic bag, without touching the stem. This will create a condensation effect which helps to retain moisture and fast growth.
- Make some holes in the plastic bags for ventilation. You do not want your cutting to die without air.
- Place the pot in indirect light. The stem cutting does not have roots yet, no way it will be able to survive the direct sun. This is how to grow a bleeding heart vine from cuttings.
How to grow bleeding heart vine from seeds
This vine naturally self-seed at the end of the season, when its blooms are not deadheaded. You can propagate bleeding heart vine from seeds but growing from seeds takes lots of time. This plant grows at a moderate speed but growing from seeds takes longer to bloom than propagation from cuttings or division.
- Take a bloom of bleeding heart and place it in full sun for two to three days to dry.
- When it gets dry, its seeds start coming out, collect these seeds.
- Put these seeds in lukewarm water for 10-12 hours. The seed will soak in water and make them ready to be sowed.
- Sow these seeds in a pot that is filled with potting mix soil. The pot must have adequate holes for good drainage.
- Water the pot to make the soil moist. Place the pot in indirect sunlight.
- Water daily to make the soil moist. After about one-month seedlings tend to start growing.
- Once the seedling becomes 5 to 6 inches longer in height. Plant it in a bigger pot or container or outdoors in the garden.
How to care for bleeding heart vine
There are some ideal conditions in which bleeding heart vines grow in abundance. If you want lots of bloom on the plant, provide these conditions. Care for bleeding heart vine is a bit difficult because they require regular lookup. However, once gets established it produces beautiful blooms.
Light
Bleeding heart vine-like to grow in partial shade. Planting it in full sun will cause the disappearance of bloom. Gardeners usually plant bleeding hearts underneath deciduous trees to provide them shade. Also, bleeding hearts do not compete for nutrients from trees.
Soil
Bleeding hearts need well-drained fertile soil for good growth. Plant it with lots of organic matter. This plant does not care much for soil pH. However, it does well in slightly acidic soil but will grow fine in neutral soil.
For good drainage mix sand or perlite with the soil. This will create micro holes in the soil which improves water flow in the soil. Spread a thick layer of organic matter around the plant to make fertile soil.
You can use banana peel, eggshells, used tea bags, and many others to make organic compost. When these substances dissolve or decompose it provides all necessary nutrients to the plant.
Water
- A bleeding heart is a thirsty plant. You have to water them frequently to keep their soil moist.
- If your plant gets dry quickly, spread a thick layer of mulch around the plant. This helps to retain moisture.
- Bleeding hearts like moist soil but do not overwater them. They do not like to stand on the water.
- Standing in soggy soil for too long will lead to leaf spots, bad growth, and the danger of root rot.
- When you find your plant leaves are turning yellow, stop watering for a while. Water only when the soil looks dry.
- However, you can know your plant is not getting enough water when its leaves become wilted.
- Overwatering is not a big problem when a bleeding heart is planted in the ground. This is because the water often gets deep inside the ground when planted in drained soil.
Temperature and humidity
A bleeding heart is tolerant to high humidity conditions. Its ideal temperature to grow is between 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In the hot summer, its leaves turn yellow due to heat. These yellowish leaves are normal, it signifies that the plant is storing energy for the winter.
Fertilizer
Bleeding hearts do not need heavy feed. It does well in rich, fertile soil compost. When planting, mix a good amount of organic matter in the soil. In the new season, feed them organic matters in the beginning. The bleeding heart is a woodland plant that loves to be surrounded by leaf mold on its roots.
How to Prune Bleeding Heart Vine
Pruning bleeding heart vine is not required for continuous growth. But, you can deadhead dried leaves and flowers to make the plant look neat. However, if you want them to self-seed do not deadhead its bloom.
Bleeding heart vine is not an invasive plant, natural self-seed will not cover your whole garden.
You can cut back a few inches in the early spring season for a good start. But, avoid pruning again in the growing seasons because it reblooms. Cutting back might snip off its growing buds.
How to overwinter bleeding heart vine
Overwintering the bleeding heart vine is very important because it naturally dies in the winter. But, their rhizome or root balls remain alive though they look dead from the stem. To make your plant regrow next season, you have to protect its roots from frost.
For this cut back a few inches of the stem. Cover the roots with a thick layer of mulch to protect them from cold. Water till the first frost weeks. If you planted it in a pot, you can bring it inside, and place it in a dark room like a garage or storeroom.
This plant goes dormant and does not need water during winter. When winter gets over, move the pot outside. With regular watering, it will start growing normally.
Common Pests and diseases
The most common plant pests that infest bleeding hearts are aphids, spider mites, scales, snails, and slugs. You can get rid of these plant pests with a spray of strong water blast from a hose or if pests continue to infest, apply neem oil on the infected part.
Hand-picking is the easiest way to remove snails and slugs from the plant. When you find your plants’ leaves are eaten up. Give a close look at its leaves, snails, and slugs often hide the underside of leaves.
Bleeding hearts grow in partial shade, so it attracts diseases susceptible to shade like a fungal infection – powdery mildew, leaf spot, and when planted in soggy soil root rot.
These diseases are signs the plant is not getting proper care. When you find your plant is suffering from any of the diseases, solve the core problem.
The powdery mildew happens often when plants’ foliage remains wet in shade for too long. To avoid this, water directly in the roots, instead of from the top of the plant.
Leaf spot sign the plant gets overwater. Small things in the long-run cause plant diseases, make sure you know the ideal condition for the plant.
Companion plants for bleeding heart vine
Bleeding hearts are popularly planted with many perennial plants for an elegant look in the garden. Foliage plants like hosta, coral bell, and ferns are good companion plants for bleeding heart vine. Also, if want more flowers in the garden, plant bleeding hearts with foam flowers, monkshood. Decorating your garden with different species of plants is difficult, but it is worth it when they start blooming.
How to make bleeding heart vine bloom
Many gardeners struggle to bloom bleeding hearts. Though this plant produces one of the most beautiful and unique flowers, it blooms in ideal conditions. To make the bleeding heart vine bloom keep in mind that:
A bleeding heart vine blooms during the spring season and continues to grow until it becomes too hot for them. In hot or warm temperatures, it dies or goes in dormant. But, don’t you worry provide it shade and it will grow again in the fall season.
Sometimes, bleeding hearts do not bloom in their first year of planting. This is because it is not ready to bloom or not mature enough. The plant will bloom in the second year of planting.
To trigger the plant’s bloom again in the season, cut it 1 inch back. This might encourage new growth. In the growing season feed fertilizer every month, and you can use organic matter. Do not plant bleeding heart vine in full sun provide it partial shade. Also, use well-drained soil and keep the soil moist.
Conclusion
I hope, you understand how to grow bleeding heart vine from cuttings, its ideal growing conditions, and problem-related to it. With this, knowledge you can grow a beautiful bleeding heart vine in the garden.
Do you have a bleeding heart in your garden? Share your experience.
Which tip from today’s post do you find interesting. Or I didn’t mention your favorite growing tip. Either way, let me know in the comment box.
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Hey! I’m Madhuresh, a passionate content creator, and a Plant lover. I created Shiny Plant to explore and learn about new plants. The purpose is to provide simple and effective Gardening Tips. Hope you’ll find this informative.