May 6, 2021
If you have a garden, you’ve likely heard about the value of planting native species. You may also have wondered how native species can be beneficial. Here’s an example of a common local native species (Pacific Bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa ssp. formosa) and how it can make a difference to you and our pollinators.
Six Great Reasons to Plant Bleeding Hearts in Your Garden!
- It blooms early, long, and late. The cheerful pink flowers appear in early April and can continue to bloom into November (!).
- As a native plant it is tolerant: it can thrive in full sun or shade and does not need extra water.
- It naturalizes (spreads) easily and quickly to fill an area, but is also easy to remove if necessary because the rhizomes are shallow.
- It is beloved of long-tongued bumble bees like the Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee (Bombus flavifrons).
- It is a host plant for the beautiful Claudianus Parnassian butterfly (Parnassius clodius ssp. claudianus) which takes flight in June through August. This butterfly is a blue-listed species (of special concern) in BC, so all the more reason to give it a home.
- It is easy to share with friends who want to include it in their gardens, because it transplants easily.
Please remember that the Estuary and our parks are protected areas and, as such, plants are not to be collected there. Here’s a link from the Davdi Suzuki Foundation to lots of information about how to ethically introduce native plants into your garden.
These photos were taken in a local garden. The Claudianus Parnassian butterfly was on the lawn, less than two metres from a patch of Bleeding heart so could possibly have matured there. Yellow-fronted Bumble Bees frequent the garden all spring and summer and don’t have a lot of competition for the Bleedinghearts because a long tongue is needed to feed from them.
Banner photo: Pacific bleeding hearts, by Gwen L’Hirondelle