The Bleeding Heart, scientifically known as Lamprocapnos spectabilis, is a popular perennial plant cherished for its distinctive heart-shaped flowers that appear in spring. Understanding the seeds requires knowing where they are produced and the specific characteristics that distinguish them. Growing this woodland flower from seed provides a rewarding challenge for gardeners who wish to propagate this species.
The Seed Vessel
Following the flowering period, the Bleeding Heart produces its seeds within an elongated structure known as a capsule or seed pod. This vessel develops from the pollinated flower, typically during the late spring months. Initially, the capsule is green and slightly fleshy, hanging downward along the curved stems.
The seed pod gradually swells and changes color as the seeds inside mature. The ideal time for collection is when the pod begins to lighten to a yellowish or pale brown hue. This color change signals that the seeds are ripe but have not yet been forcibly ejected. If left on the plant too long, the capsule will dry out and split open along its seam, scattering the mature seeds.
Appearance and Characteristics of Bleeding Heart Seeds
Bleeding Heart seeds are relatively small, typically rounded or slightly oval in shape, and possess a hard seed coat. When fully mature, their color is usually a very dark brown or black, which helps them blend into the soil or leaf litter of a forest floor environment. Each pod generally contains between two and eight smooth seeds.
A defining feature of the Bleeding Heart seed is a small, pale, fatty appendage attached to the exterior called an elaiosome. This structure is whitish or cream-colored and provides a stark visual contrast to the dark seed body. The elaiosome serves an ecological purpose by attracting ants, which carry the seed away to their nests to consume the nutrient-rich appendage. This natural dispersal mechanism, known as myrmecochory, helps ensure the plant’s regeneration. The presence of the elaiosome is a reliable characteristic for identifying true Bleeding Heart seeds.
Preparing Seeds for Germination
Successfully growing Bleeding Heart from seed requires a specific treatment process to break the seed’s natural dormancy. Due to their native habitat, the seeds require a period of cold, moist conditions, known as cold stratification, to simulate a winter cycle. This process is necessary to weaken the hard seed coat and signal to the embryo that the time is right for sprouting.
Gardeners can mimic this process by mixing the collected seeds with a slightly dampened medium, like sand or peat moss, and placing them in a sealed container in a refrigerator. This environment should maintain a temperature between 33 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit for six to twelve weeks. After the stratification period, the seeds should be sown shallowly on the surface of quality potting mix, barely covering them with a fine layer of soil or vermiculite. Germination can still be slow and sometimes unreliable, often taking several weeks or months even after proper stratification.