Shade Perennials

Dicentra spectabilis

Height: 3 feet

Spacing: 30 inches

Sunlight: partial shade full shade

Hardiness Zone: 1b

Other Names: Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Description:
Bushy upright mounded selection features blue-green fern-like foliage and arching stems of heart shaped locket flowers with white protruding petals; excellent for shaded borders and beds; beautiful cut flower; goes into summer dormancy

Ornamental Features:
Common Bleeding Heart features delicate nodding pink heart-shaped flowers with white tips dangling from the stems from late spring to early summer. Its ferny compound leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes:
Common Bleeding Heart is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Common Bleeding Heart is recommended for the following landscape applications:
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Planting & Growing

Common Bleeding Heart will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Chelone Glabra

Height: 3 feet

Spread: 30 inches

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 3a

Other Names: Shellflower

Description:
The white hooded flowers on this perennial make it a great addition to the garden; thrives in wet or moist areas; attracts butterflies

Ornamental Features:

Turtlehead has masses of beautiful white hooded flowers with shell pink overtones at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its serrated pointy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes:

Turtlehead is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration: Spreading

Turtlehead is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing:

Turtlehead will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 12 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.