What's eating my bleeding heart?

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) is generally tough but slugs and snails are its main outdoor pest, shredding the delicate ferny foliage. Aphids can cluster on flower stems. Rabbits and deer occasionally browse the lush growth. The plant dies back naturally in summer heat, which reduces pest pressure considerably.

Ragged holes and shredded edges on delicate foliage, worst in spring when the plant is lush and slugs are active. Apply iron phosphate pellets; use grit or copper barriers; hand-pick at dusk. Avoid excess overhead watering.

Clusters on flower stems and new growth; distorted stems and sticky honeydew; occasionally blackened sooty mold. Blast with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray. Natural predators such as ladybirds usually keep them in check.

Young shoots cleanly nibbled or whole crowns browsed in spring before foliage hardens. Wire mesh guards placed around clumps in early spring; deterrent sprays with bitter agents around the planting.