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The exotic beauty of the dycenter can become a real decoration of the garden, if you correctly combine the existing varieties of the flower with other ornamental plants. The varieties and types of dicentra with photos and names presented below will help in their correct selection when landscaping a garden plot, decorating a landscape, and drawing up a flower arrangement. At the same time, you should know what conditions need to be provided for the culture and how to properly care for it.
What does the dicenter look like?
Dicenter in nature lives in the Far East, East China, the Korean Peninsula and the North American continent. This exotic flower was brought to Europe from Japan at the beginning of the 19th century and already then gained wide popularity due to its unusual shape. Looking at the flowers of the dicenter, one gets the impression that delicate defenseless hearts are suspended at the ends of the branches, split in the lower part, from where a tear or a drop of blood is about to fall.
Because of its romantic appearance, the dicenter has a second name, usually accepted among people. The Russians call it "broken heart", the British call it "bleeding heart", the Germans call it "the flower of the heart." And the sentimental French even came up with an unfortunate love story associated with the emergence of this flower. A girl named Jeanette got lost in the woods. A young boy helped her find her way home, with whom she immediately fell in love and dreamed of meeting him. Once a wedding cortege drove through the village in which Jeanette lived. In the role of the groom, the girl recognized her lover. Her heart broke from grief, Jeanette fainted and died. This unusual flower grew in that place. The French call it "Jeanette's heart".
For a long time, the flowers of the dicenter have personified romantic relationships and were chosen among young people in love. Almost every florist planted this plant in his area. Several decades ago, due to the influx of a large selection of other exotic crops into the horticultural market, interest in the dicenter has somewhat subsided. Currently, designers have turned their eyes to the flower, actively including different varieties of culture in landscape and flower compositions. Their work gave the flower new life and the ability to evoke admiring glances with its unusual shape.
Description of dicenter
The scientific name of the dicenter has a completely justified translation from the Greek language - "double spur" because of the two spurs located at the petals of the corolla. The culture belongs to the subfamily smokyanka poppy family.
A botanical description of a plant can be done like this:
- the height of a bush of erect or spreading stems, depending on the species, can reach 0.15-1.0 m;
- dicenter flowers come in different shades of yellow, pink-purple or pure white, up to 2-3 cm in diameter, flattened in the form of a heart with two petals bent at the bottom and a teardrop-like petal peeking out rolled into a tube;
- inflorescences racemose, drooping, located at the ends of branches bent in an arc and towering above the foliage, flowering on average lasts 35-40 days;
- leaves are dvazhdytroychatye or thrice-pinnate, large, openwork, green with a bluish tint, have a decorative appearance;
- nectar is stored in hollow formations - spurs located outside the petals;
- seeds of dicentra are black in color with a shiny surface and an oblong shape, are located inside the seed capsule and retain the ability to germinate for up to 2 years;
- fleshy roots, well developed, deeply embedded in the soil.
For gardeners, the dicenter is interesting in that it does not require special care and can grow both in shaded areas and in open sunny areas. In the shade, flowering occurs somewhat later than in the sun. But the color of the petals is more saturated and lasts longer. It is not particularly demanding on the soil, although it prefers a nutritious, moist and well-drained soil, which will provide a lush growth of the bush. Some species do not tolerate stagnant water and severe drought.
The plant is resistant to low temperatures, requires shelter for the winter only in severe frosts. A bush can live in one place without transplanting for up to 8 years. But it is desirable to rejuvenate it by dividing the rhizome after 4-5 years.
Reproduction of dicentra in central Russia in practice is possible only in two ways: by cuttings and dividing the bush.
Dicenter in landscape design
The unusual look of the dicentra flower and its lush bushes are widely used by landscape and flower designers when decorating flower beds, borders, alpine slides. The decorative appearance of openwork foliage with brushes of flowers towering above it will surely decorate the garden both in single plantings and in group plantings.
Plucked flowers do not fade for a long time. Therefore, they are used in festive bouquets, they are used to decorate rooms for celebrations. It is better to cut off branches with unopened buds. In vases of water, they will quickly bloom.
Low-growing varieties of dicentra look great in ceramic flowerpots or hanging pots. They fill empty shady places in gardens, as they grow well on the ground.
Dicenter poisonous or not
The most poisonous part of the dicenter is the root. But some varieties have poisonous leaves and stems, as they contain alkaloids. Therefore, you need to work with the plant carefully, using special gloves. Skin contact may cause irritation. If a small amount of juice gets into the body, then you should expect an upset of the gastrointestinal tract. In case of severe poisoning, the effect will affect the nervous system. Fleshy roots can protrude from the ground and be eaten by animals, which will not have the best effect on their health. Therefore, you need to ensure that the roots of the dicenter are under the soil.
Blooming dicentra
The flowering of the dicentra opens the flower season of the summer cottage in early spring and, depending on the variety, lasts differently. There are species, the flowers of which can be admired all summer, from spring to the first autumn days. There are other varieties that fade in a month and a half. The different flowering period of different varieties of dicentra allows you to choose them when you design them in such a way as to ensure flowering from May to September.
Dicenter flowers with thin petioles are located at the ends of curved branches, forming one-sided racemose inflorescences. They have the shape of a flattened heart, sometimes elongated with two petals diverging from top to bottom. The color, depending on the variety, can be pink-purple, carmine, cream, red, yellow, pure white.
After the bush has completely bloomed, the entire upper part is cut off, leaving only low hemp up to 3 cm high.
Types of dicenter
The genus dicentra includes several varieties of annual and perennial ground cover, herbaceous plants, shown below in the photo.Science knows about 20 varieties, but only about ten are common among flower growers. All of them differ in the size of the bush, the splendor of the flowering, the color of the buds and the conditions of care. Grown as garden and indoor plants. Some varieties are capable of forcing - an artificial exit from dormancy into the active phase of the growing season.
The center is magnificent
The gorgeous bleeding center (Fumaria Spectabilis) is the most popular among other varieties in Russia. It has another name - "magnificent heart". The description of the splendid dicenter was made by the Swedish explorer Karl Linnaeus at the beginning of the 18th century. Sprawling perennial reaches a height of 1 m. It has decorative pinnately dissected leaves with different shades of top and bottom on long (up to 12 cm) petioles. The racemose inflorescences adorn the ends of the branches.
Dicentra grows well in partial shade, where flowering is longer and more abundant, which usually begins at the end of May and lasts a little more than a month. Then the upper part dies off, and the bush goes into a state of dormancy until next spring. Winter-hardy species, withstands frosts down to -350C with proper shelter for the bush for the winter.
The center is beautiful
The plant species Dicentra Formosa is native to North America. A low, spreading perennial grows up to 40 cm and blooms with purple-pink hearts, collected in inflorescences, almost all summer from June to September. Green leaves on long stalks are collected in a basal rosette.
It has several varieties. Used for landscaping rocky gardens and as a ground cover plant in natural parks.
Dicenter golden-flowered
In natural conditions, the species Dicentra Chrysantha can be found in Mexico and southern California, on the dry slopes of the mountains. Sprawling and tall shrub varies in height from 45 to 152 cm. It blooms from spring to early autumn with bright yellow buds. It is not easy to grow this thermophilic species in the garden, since it is picky about the conditions of care and does not tolerate the cold.
Dicenter nodular
In nature, the species of dicentra nodule (D. cuccularia) grows in eastern North America, on poor sandy soil, as well as in the humid forests of Oregon and Washington. This is one of the shortest species. The dicenter grows up to 20 cm and has translucent white flowers with a yellow stripe and long spurs, as seen in the photo. Flowering begins in early spring with foliage blooming.
The root system of the variety resembles a spruce cone, consisting of small nodules. This species is often grown as a houseplant. There is a Pittsburgh variety with pink flowers.
Other types of dicenter
There are other types and varieties of dicentra, the seedlings of which can be purchased in a specialized store, where they are usually supplied from Holland. All these varieties can be grown by flower lovers at home on a windowsill or closed loggia.
You can name at least 6 more of the most famous types of dicentra.
- Excellent or exceptional (D. Eximia) refers to undersized species. It grows up to 25 cm, blooms for two months with dark purple, pink or white flowers with gray-gray leaves on long stalks, resembling fern leaves. Used for winter forcing. Has a pink Boothman`s Variety.
- Climbing (D. Scandens) - Himalayan liana with branches up to 2 m and yellow or light pink elongated flowers. In the middle lane, it is grown as an annual plant. An interesting frost-resistant variety Golden tears with yellow flowers that have a pink tint. The buds of this variety bloom from June to autumn cold weather.
- Canadian (D. canadensis) similar to the nape. It is a low bush with pure white flowers on short pedicels, collected in inflorescences of 3-10 pcs. Blooms in mid-spring. It has gray-gray feathery leaves on long petioles, collected in a basal rosette.Combines beautifully with primroses.
- Vagrant (D. Peregrina) has a thousand-year history of existence. It looks like a short, miniature perennial with heavily dissected gray leaves. They are collected in a basal rosette, have large elongated purple-white buds. It is considered a pioneer of stony, slag and sandy fields. It is widely used for landscaping alpine hills and rocky gardens.
- Single-flowered (D. Uniflora) named so because it does not create inflorescences, but blooms with single light purple flowers, covering the entire bush at home from late February to mid-August. It is difficult to grow, and in nature, due to its small stature (about 10 cm), it is difficult to find it among the grass. At home in America, this species is often called "ox head" for strongly bent petals, reminiscent of the horns on the head of a Texas ox.
- Small-flowered (D. Pauciflora) grows on mountain slopes, at an altitude of 1300-3300 m, on the North American continent. Represents erect stems 10-12 cm high with inflorescences of 2-3 flowers of light purple color. It looks like a single-flowered one, but the petals are bent less, therefore it has another name "oxen short-horned head". On the territory of Russia, it is grown as a houseplant.
Dicenter varieties with photos and names
The work of breeders made it possible to breed varieties of different species of this exotic flower, differing in the color of the petals, their size, and growing conditions. Below are photos and descriptions of shrubs of the most popular varieties of dicentra.
Variety Aurora
It grows up to 35 cm, looks like a lush herbaceous bush with delicate leaves and delicate white heart-shaped flowers. It can grow in one place for up to 8 years, which allows you to create summer cottage landscapes for a long time. The variety belongs to the beautiful dicentra species.
Variety King of Hearts
A hybrid obtained by crossing three types of dicentra: beautiful, vagrant and exceptional. Flowers of purple-pink color rise above the bluish-green openwork leaves from May to August. The bush is low, grows well in the shaded corners of the garden.
Variety Bakchanal
Creates a lush bush up to 80 cm high, blooming with pink elongated hearts, collected in curved inflorescences, all summer season. The green pinnately dissected leaves create a beautiful rosette, like a green flower vase. Winters well. The variety is a representative of the beautiful dicenter.
Laksharient variety
A compact bush that does not exceed 35 cm in height. The variety looks elegant and bright with dark red or purple-pink buds on purple petioles among soft green foliage. The view of the bleeding center, the beautiful Laksharient variety, pleases flower lovers from mid-spring to mid-autumn. Feels great in shaded areas of the garden.
Alba variety
This variety is a gorgeous white-flowered variety of dicentra. Reaches a height of 70 cm. The bushes are good due to the neat rounded shape and lush growth of feathery leaf plates, decorated with white drooping inflorescences. The variety does not tolerate frost well, needs shelter for the winter.
Gold Hart variety
Gold Hart belongs to the magnificent bleeding center, bred by breeders in 2004. The variety is distinguished by an unusual combination of bright pink inflorescences against a background of golden decorative foliage. The dicentra is good both during flowering and after, attracting attention with the color of the leaves. Tall shrub grows up to 80 cm.
Berning Hearts variety
A very beautiful hybrid, which turned out from two types of dicentra: vagrant and excellent. Openwork light silvery leaves create a spectacular contrast with bright red large flowers, reminiscent of tongues of flame.
Variety Valentine
The variety is the latest innovation in breeders. It stands out with a rich cherry color of buds on purple stems. Creates drooping clusters of inflorescences up to 20 cm long.Openwork leaves, when blooming, have a maroon hue, which is later replaced by a bluish one. The bushes of the dicentra are large, branching, reaching a height of 1 m. They are unpretentious in care, belong to zone 4 (frosts down to -290FROM).
What does the bleeding center combine with?
An exotic shrub prefers shaded places and feels great under trees, in the shade of an apple, linden, bird cherry, near the house, where the shadow at least occasionally falls on it. Dicenter goes well with the same shade-loving perennials.
Some species can grow beautifully in a sunlit area. The dicenter in the garden, as seen in the photo, is filled with a flower carpet with tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, phlox. A flower with a kupena, lungwort, primrose, various types of fern will look great. Low-growing species of dicentra, together with forget-me-nots and primroses, will create a beautiful flower bed against the background of rubble or tiles along the garden path.
Photo of flowers dicentra on a flower bed
Many gardeners noted that the dicenter is friendly with other flowers and is not against the neighborhood in the flowerbed with representatives of different cultures, which is perfectly visible in the photo below. To create not only a beautiful composition, but also the correct location, you need to carefully consider the selection of a place for an exotic flower.
Conclusion
Varieties and types of dicentra with photos and names will help you choose a kind of exotic plant that will beautifully fit into the landscape of the garden plot, highlighting its advantages and hiding disadvantages. Having in advance information about the conditions in which the flower will be able to show itself in all its glory, you can acquire the culture of precisely those varieties that will grow without problems and delight with their flowering.
