About this cultivar: Dicentra formosa 'Langtrees' is a spreading perennial with finely divided vividly glaucous silvery grey leaves and arching sprays of pink-flushed creamy-white flowers in late spring and early summer. The flowers tend to be longer than the similar cultivar 'Pearl Drops', I remember this by thinking Langtrees=Lang=Long=Longer flowers. Works for me. The fern like foliage makes great ground cover - like other formosa species. The species name 'formosa' comes from the feminine form of the latin 'formosus' meaning 'finely formed, handsome, beautiful'. In cooler climates/areas/seasons, flowering may continue throughout the summer, but in the hotter climates/areas/seasons, the flowering will generally stop in hot weather, with a possible rebloom occurring when the weather cools in late summer or early autumn. Given adequate moisture, foliage remains attractive in summer, and may produce an attractive groundcover effect Has the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (RHS AGM). Position: Full sun, partial shade, full shade Soil: Almost any soil, grows well in Ballyrobert Flowers: April, May, June, July, August Other features: Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (RHS AGM), Great Ground Cover Hardiness: H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10°C), Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert Habit: Clump forming, bushy, Pendulous or Weeping Foliage: Deciduous Height: 15 - 45 cm (0.5 - 1.5 ft) Spread: 40 - 75 cm (1.3 - 2.5 ft) Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial Colour: Green, white, blue Goes well with: Carex, Polygonatum, Hosta, Pulmonaria About this genus: Dicentra is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants in the poppy family (Papaveraceae). Commonly know as Dutchman's breeches, lyre flower, lady in a bath or bleeding hearts because of the shape of the flower. The first plants specimens were introduced into Europe in 1816 but were lost only to be re-introduced in the 1840s from Japan by the Scottish botanist and plant hunter Robert Fortune. We *heart" Dicnetra in our garden at Ballyrobert! Easy to grow, beautiful drooping habit, wonderful flowers, attractive foliage, long blooming and coming in a variety of shapes, size and colours; what is not to like?!? Depending on the cultivar the flowers can come in yellow, white, pink, and red and the foliage can vary from almost purple to very light green. Some love full sun and some love full shade but most will grow in almost any soil or situation. They pair well with Carex, Polygonatum, Hosta, Pulmonaria - try them or you'll have a broken heart.
