Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Valentine Bleeding Heart bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Valentine bleeding heart, red-stemmed bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Valentine').

More about valentine bleeding heart

About Valentine Bleeding Heart

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Valentine' · also called Valentine bleeding heart, red-stemmed bleeding heart · flowering

'Valentine' is a bleeding heart prized for deep cherry-red heart-shaped flowers dangling from arching red stems in spring, above blue-green divided foliage. It thrives in moist, humus-rich shade and may go summer-dormant in heat. All parts contain isoquinoline alkaloids, making it toxic to cats and dogs — plant with care around pets.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Brittle stem breakage: Arching flower stems snap easily if knocked or staked roughly. Site in a sheltered spot and handle gently when tidying.

The reasons valentine bleeding heart isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming valentine bleeding heart traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding valentine bleeding heart a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get valentine bleeding heart to flower

Maximise sun. Give valentine bleeding heart the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for valentine bleeding heart and get the feeding right with the valentine bleeding heart fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Valentine Bleeding Heart flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full valentine bleeding heart care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Valentine Bleeding Heart blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my valentine bleeding heart flower?

Valentine Bleeding Heart blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make valentine bleeding heart bloom?

Give valentine bleeding heart the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does valentine bleeding heart normally bloom?