As a child , I was entranced by heart - shaped lockets . While I still think they ’re great as an adult , I be given to prefer plants over necklaces .

One of my favorite types of bloom resemble a lady ’s locket : bleeding core ( Lamprocapnos spectabilis ) .

These members of the poppy family , Papaveraceae , bear heart - shaped flower on overweight stems . And , indeed , “ lady ’s locket ” is one of the nicknames for this pleasing plant .

A close up horizontal image of bright pink bleeding heart flowers growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

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But what happens if spring total and your haemorrhage hearts do n’t bloom , or they bring forth just a few flowers ?

If you ’re cultivatingL. spectabilisfor the first fourth dimension , or if your reliable plant has short become not - so - honest when it come to blooming , you ’ve arrive to the right property .

A bleeding heart plant with purple-pink flowers.

In this guide , we ’ll explore the reasons why your lady ’s locket may not flower , aid you chance upon how to fancy out your plant and get it blooming !

If you need to know more about growing lady ’s lockets in world-wide , chink out ourguide to grow phlebotomize hearts .

In this clause , here ’s what you ’ll instruct :

A close up vertical image of bright pink bleeding heart flowers growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

3 Reasons Why Your Bleeding Heart Won’t Bloom

1 . It ’s Too Young

2 . Transplant Shock

3 . Flawed Growing Conditions

A close up horizontal image of bright pink bleeding heart flowers growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

We ’ve narrow down the top three reasons why you might not be assure any flower on that lady ’s locket . Let ’s plunk in !

One of the more unmanageable aspect of horticulture is that it takes patience .

When you institute a vernal bleeding heart in your garden , you may gestate flowers to appear the right way away . I entirely empathise . It ’s hard not to when you ’re so eager for that beautiful reward .

A close up horizontal image of a hummingbird approaching a stem of pink bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) flowers pictured on a green background.

The affair is , most youngL. spectabilisflowers wo n’t bloom in the first yr after you plant them , especially if you grow them from seed .

Even young plants purchased from a greenhouse may take two to three years before they produce more than a handful of fondness - influence pendant flower .

So , if you just start out grow lady ’s locket and the plant is originate well , with foliage that ’s profuse , greenish , and pest - free , you probably just need to tap into your well of patience for another year or two .

A horizontal image of a large bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) shrub growing with hostas in front of a white wooden fence with a garden scene in soft focus in the background.

I recognise it ’s hard , but commit me : it ’ll pay off .

If you recently moved your bleeding heart from one field to another , or you brought home a portion of a divided plant given to you by a friend , you may need to wait a year before you ’ll see any blooms , according tothe expert at the University of Wisconsin - Madison Extension .

transfer a lady ’s locket can be lurid to the plant , and it may take a year off blooming to rivet on recovering from the move .

A close up horizontal image of Lamprocapnos spectabilis flowers growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

Make trusted you give it the right amount of sunlight , water , weeding , and cosmopolitan TLC , and it ’ll almost sure bloom in about a year .

While bleeding heart lean to be easygoing , they can get upset if certain needs are n’t met . ( Do n’t we all ? ) And when they are disquieted , they may get to show signs of tension , such asyellowing leaves , a sad flower show , or a full lack of bloom .

So what can make a noblewoman ’s locket upset ? One culprit is heat and sunshine . If you were over the moon with turmoil when you get your newL. spectabilishome , you may have forget to read up on the best growing conditions to keep it happy .

A close up horizontal image of Lamprocapnos spectabilis flowers growing in a ceramic container on the top of a brick wall pictured on a soft focus background.

Maybe you planted it in a sunny spot , think it could soak up light to develop those gorgeous flowers , only to realize that youlive in Zone 8 , which is technically fine for bleeding hearts – as long as they get plenty of coolheaded ghost , specially in the afternoon .

If you incidentally plant your bleeding heart in a bright , cheery location , graft it !

Locate a fleck that youknowreceives at least four hours of shade – all the honorable if the shade attain in the afternoon . Make certain the soil in your chosen location is well - draining , too , as another perpetrator for an dysphoric lady ’s locket is soggy dirt .

A close up square image of the packaging of Down to Earth All Natural Bone Meal isolated on a white background.

Carefully savvy up the plant , head off upset the theme system as much as potential . In the raw positioning , dig a hole the same sizing as the root ball and place the industrial plant inside . Backfill with land and water exhaustively .

With plenty of nicety in its quick locale , your bleeding heart should perk back up , but it may take time . Remember : after a transplant , it can take up to a year before blossom make an visual aspect .

If you ’ve accidentally planted your bleed heart in soil that does n’t run out well , such as Lucius Clay soil , you may require to move it elsewhere espouse the instruction above .

Vertical image of bleeding heart plant with pink flower clusters.

Or , transpose it into a container . prefer one that is at least 10 to 12 inches rich and wide with drain holes and a detachable dish .

Fill the pot with potting soil and make a hole the deepness and breadth of the beginning ball you ’re transplanting .

ascertain the wellness of the roots , and snip any that are slimy and showing planetary house of rot . Carefully move the stressed - out plant to the pot , and backfill with refreshed dirt .

If the area that you removed the plant from was really drenched , you may not demand to irrigate immediately after transplantation .

retrieve to deck any water system left in the dish when you do water about 10 minutes after watering , to avoid leaving the theme in standing water .

Keep your sens in a location that receives some prissy shade if you know in Zones 6 through 9 , or somewhere with several hours of sun for those in Zones 2 through 5 , and you ’re all set .

Lady ’s locket apprize rich territory , so view impart a tablespoon of bone repast to give your plants a encouragement .

ivory meal is a good source of morning star , and phosphorus help to promote plant to develop strong stem and prime .

Down to Earth Bone Meal

Down to Earth ™ sell a 3 - 15 - 0 bone repast and calcium mix that work well to promote bloom . It’savailable in a five - Irish punt box from Arbico Organics .

Learn to utilise osseous tissue meal in our guide .

If it ’s been a while since you fertilise your works – as in , a couple years ( no judgment here ! It hap ! ) – go forwards and total a plant food that ’s higher in morning star than nitrogen and potassium to help boost blooms .

Be sure to read our tips on keeping yourbleeding gist healthy during the winterfor even more aid with these lovely plants .

Bloomin’ Bleeding Hearts

Whether you ’re growing these pretty pendent flowers for the first time or feel like the details are old hat when it come to lady ’s locket , there ’s always more to learn .

And before you go , check out some ofour other bleeding heart tutelage guide :

© inquire the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more particular . Originally published March 19th , 2022 . Last updated April 10th , 2025 . Product photo via Arbico Organics . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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Laura Ojeda Melchor