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"Broken Heart" by Jeanette. Early spring flowers that you might not know about Types and varieties of dicentra

Dicentra, from Latin Dicentra, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant from the Dymyankov subfamily (Fumariaceae) and belongs to the Poppy family (Papaveraceae) from the order Ranunculales. Translated from Greek, "dicentra" means "double spur", which indicates unusual shape flowers. A garden ornamental crop with heart-shaped flowers is incredibly popular in home gardening and is known as “ broken heart", "Jeanette's hearts" or "Slipper of the Mother of God".

Legends associated with the flower

One of the signs associated with dicentra says that if a girl picked a dicentra flower and soon met young man, he will be her betrothed.

A French legend tells about a girl, Jeannette, who went into the forest to pick berries and got lost. Having lost her way, at the end of the day she met a young and handsome horseman, who on his horse took the crying and frightened girl home. However, the beautiful horseman was engaged, and when Jeannette found out about this, her heart immediately burst with grief and melancholy and turned into a dicentra flower. This is how the flower heart of the unfortunate French girl grows to this day.

Characteristics and description

The genus Dicentra includes about twenty species, growing mostly in the area Far East, North America and Eastern China. The perennial and very decorative shrub Dicentra can have different heights, which varies between 0.3-1.0 m depending on the type and variety.

The leaves of the plant are fleshy. The description states that the pinnately dissected petiolate foliage is green in color with an unusual bluish tint. Heart-shaped flowers stand out very impressively against the background of double or triple ternate leaves. The most popular has always been the white dicentra, but in recent years in the conditions of home gardening they are increasingly finding wide application varieties and species that produce red, pink and yellow flowers.

Dicentra: flower features (video)

Landing technology

Dicentra is perfectly adapted for cultivation in open ground in most regions of our country. Growing this decorative perennial crop not difficult, but When planting, it is necessary to take into account recommendations common to most species and varieties:

• The plant develops and blooms best in partial shade, and in areas that are too open and sunny, fading of flowers and loss of decorativeness can often be observed;
• preference should be given to areas with nutritious and necessarily well-drained rocky soils;
• if the groundwater level is too high, it is necessary to plant dicentra in high flower beds;
• For spring planting you should prepare the site in the fall by deep digging the soil and adding 4 kg of humus for each square meter;
• to plant rhizomatous dicentra, it is necessary to prepare in advance planting holes measuring 40 x 40 cm with a distance of 35-40 cm from each other;
• miniature, compact and low-growing varieties must be planted in accordance with a 20 x 20 cm pattern, and the vine of some vine-like varieties must be provided with supports.

After planting the plant on permanent place sufficiently abundant watering is carried out and the area with the ornamental crop is shaded for the first two to three days.

Outdoor care

Growing dicentra is not difficult. Standard care for perennial ornamental crops is as follows:

• moderate watering of the plant as the soil dries with warm and soft water;
• It is important to remember that too much and frequent watering can cause rotting of the plant’s root system;
• Regular weeding and loosening of the soil is important, which is due to the high need of the Dicentra root system for air flow;
• to appear early spring the sprouts did not die as a result of overnight frosts, it is necessary to use a film cover;
• in the early spring period Perennial bushes are fertilized with basic nitrogen-containing fertilizers;
• at the stage of active flowering, plants require feeding with superphosphate, and in autumn period tree trunk circles should be watered generously nutrient solution based on mullein and mulch with humus;
• it is necessary to promptly remove all faded flowers, which will extend the flowering period of Dicentra and improve its external decorative effect.

Plants need to be replanted every two years. The site for growing a flower should be replaced at least once every four to five years.

Types of dicentra

IN Asian countries, as well as in most states of America have become quite widespread the following types herbaceous perennial:

• wandering or D. Peregrina;
• Canadian or D. Canadensis;
• golden-flowered or D. Chrysanta;
• capular or D. Cucularia;
• exceptional/superior or D. Eximia;
• beautiful or D. formosa;
• whitish yellow or D. Ochroleuca;
• pauciflora or D. pauciflora;
• single-flowered or D. Uniflora.

Also extremely popular in home decor Dicentra spectabilis or graceful and magnificent "Alba".

The best varieties

Some varieties are very successfully grown by amateur gardeners as indoor crops. In our country, highly decorative and relatively unpretentious varieties of dicentra, which are presented below, are very popular.

The beautiful Dicentra is known to many gardeners as Formosa or Taiwanese. low growing plant no more than 0.4 m high, has light green leaves and white, cream or pink flowers. Flowering occurs from June to September.

Dicentra is magnificent, or magnificent heart flower, is a perennial, relatively tall ornamental crop. The height of the bush often reaches a meter. The leaves are large, pinnately dissected. Upper part The leaves are green, and the lower ones have a bluish color. The shoots are branched and densely leafy. Racemose inflorescences are composed of relatively large flowers that appear in May or the first ten days of June.

Dicentra is excellent is shorter decorative form. The height of the bush does not exceed 23-25 ​​cm. The leaves are bluish-gray in color, similar to the foliage of a fern. Flowering is long lasting, takes about two months, very often forcing is carried out in winter period.

Also popular is the climbing dicentra variety called "Golden Vine". This decorative liana-like perennial reaches a height of 2 m and produces bright yellow flowers with a diameter of 2.0-2.5 cm.

At the end of the last century, breeders obtained hybrid forms"King of Hearts" and "Candy Hearts" forming inflorescences with different shades pink color. And hybrid forms with beautiful grayish-green coloring and strongly dissected leaves "Dragon Heart" And "Angel Heart" have very large flowers purple-red and white respectively.

Breeding rules

Reproduction of Dicentra is carried out by several quite in simple ways: bush division, green and root cuttings. When breeding, you should adhere to the following rules:

• dividing and replanting bushes is carried out in the spring, around the end of April or beginning of May;
• in regions with warm and fairly mild climatic conditions bush division can be carried out in the autumn, until approximately the end of September;
• when dividing the bush, you need to take into account that the rhizome of the plant is very fragile and brittle;
• when dividing bushes, you need to prepare segments 8-10 cm long, having approximately three to four shoots;
• cuttings are carried out using young shoots;
• cuttings of all varieties of Dicentra splendid are carried out in early spring;
• Preparation of cuttings from beautiful dicentra bushes can be carried out throughout summer period;
• cuttings are planted in greenhouses or greenhouses;
• light and fairly moist soils are best suited for rooting;
• rooted cuttings should be transplanted to a permanent place in the spring, the next year after cuttings.

Very rarely, flower growers resort to seed propagation this decorative culture, which is due to the difficulty of obtaining sufficiently well-developed plants. If you nevertheless choose this method, remember that the seed material remains viable for no more than three to four years. Before planting, preliminary seed stratification is necessary. As a rule, sowing is carried out before winter, around September or the first ten days of October. Dicentra grown from seeds can enter the flowering stage no earlier than the second or third year after planting in a permanent place.

Dicentra in garden decor

Dicentra is often used as decoration mixed plantings. With the help of this decorative crop, rock gardens, borders and lawns are decorated. Dicentra bushes look very good when planted next to ferns, hosta, tulips and daffodils.

How to grow dicentra (video)

Dicentra can be a wonderful addition to Aquilegia, Forget-me-not and Primrose, and also goes well with Swimwort, Doronicum and Lungwort.

Dicentra splendid is a herbaceous perennial plant that has gained worldwide popularity among gardeners thanks to unusual flowers shaped like hearts. What varieties are known, how and when to plant the crop correctly? What kind of care will be required? You can learn about all this, with a selection of relevant photographs, from the article.

Some facts about the dicenter

Dicentra is an interesting plant with many popular names. “Broken heart”, “bleeding heart”, “heart flower”, “lady’s medallion” - all these names are fully consistent appearance delicate flowers.

Back in the 19th century, it could be found in many gardens and front gardens in Russia. Over time, interest in the plant faded and dicentra was almost completely replaced by other crops. Only thanks to American and Japanese collectors has it recently gained popularity again. In addition, through the efforts of scientists, new varieties and hybrids of the charming flower have been developed.

Currently, about 20 species belonging to the genus Dicentra have been described. They grow naturally in some areas of North America and East Asia. In conditions middle zone In Russia, due to climatic conditions, it is possible to grow only one of natural species plants and about a dozen cultivated ones. Dicentra splendid is deservedly considered the most spectacular of them.

Description of the plant

A characteristic difference between the magnificent dicentra and other species is a powerful bush up to 1 m in height. On branched shoots there are pinnate dissected leaves. They are green on top and bluish on the underside. Some varieties have slightly different leaf colors.

Arched inflorescences, in the form of simple one-sided racemes, can reach 20 cm. The flowers have the shape of a heart cut in two. On long legs they look like dangling pendants. The flowering period begins in early May and lasts about a month.

Dicentra splendidus does not set seeds in the middle zone; therefore, it will not be possible to propagate it with their help here. The rhizome of the plant is vertical, light brown in color. A month after the end of flowering, the leaves of the dicentra turn yellow and dry out. In mid-summer the plant goes dormant.

Common varieties of dicentra splendid:

Features of planting

It is better to choose a place for planting in partial shade. Dicentra fades in the sun and fades earlier, causing it to quickly lose its decorative effect. In shading, the plant begins to bloom later, but this period lasts longer.

To plant dicentra in the spring, the soil must be prepared in the fall. The place is filled with humus and dug well. To improve air permeability, it is recommended to add loosening substances during planting: expanded clay, crushed brick, small crushed stone, etc.

In group plantings, dicenters are planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other in 40x40 holes.

Advice. Dicenters do not tolerate stagnant water, therefore, in an area with high occurrence groundwater They are best planted in raised beds.

Plant care

In the spring, as soon as the leaves sprout, you can loosen the soil around the plant and mulch it. If the planting site is well prepared in the fall, you will not need to feed the dicentra.

Watering should be done as needed and in moderation - both overmoistening and drought are detrimental to the plant.
After all the leaves have dried, they need to be cut off and the roots sprinkled with peat. There is no need to cover it for the winter: dicentra tolerates frost well, but during a thaw the rhizome may dry out.

Advice. In spring it is better to cover young shoots with lutrasil. This will protect them from frost damage.

Dicentra reproduction

Bush dividing method. Dicentra splendid bushes must be replanted every 3-4 years. If this is not done, then upon reaching 6-7 years, thickening and then rotting of the roots begins, as a result of which the plant dies. Typically, flower growers combine replanting with planting the bush using the division method, while removing damaged parts.

Carry out division better in spring, with the beginning of plant growth. The rules for transplanting are the same as for the initial planting. The bush is carefully dug up and divided so as not to damage it. The roots of dicentra are fragile, therefore, it is advisable to wither them for 3-4 hours before transplanting to a new place. To get a lush bush, several cuttings can be placed in one hole.

Attention! The rhizome of Dicentra splendor is poisonous. You need to work with it very carefully.

Cuttings. In the spring, cuttings with a heel about 15 cm long are cut. They are immersed in a root formation stimulator for a day, after which they are planted in separate containers and covered with glass or film.

Plants obtained in this way can be planted in a flowerbed only after a year.

Diseases and pests

Dicentra is resistant to diseases, but can be affected by the tobacco mosaic virus and ring spot, causing the leaves of the plant to become covered with spots various shapes and magnitude. As a preventative measure, it is necessary to adjust watering and prevent thickening of plantings. This will ensure good ventilation, which will prevent diseases from developing.

Susceptible to dicentra and mycoplasma damage. At the same time, the growth of the bush slows down, and the inflorescences become very distorted. Among the pests, slugs can be noted, which can severely damage the leaves and flowers of dicentra.

Blooming dicentra magnificent can create a romantic mood in any garden. It is simply impossible to pass by and not notice these delicate hearts, as if carved by a master jewelry maker. At the same time, growing such beauty is absolutely easy. It is enough to have a desire and some information about the plant.

Dicentra in the garden: video

"Bleeding Heart Vine" - bleeding heart vine - This is what Mrs. Thompson's clerodendrum is called in English-speaking countries. This plant captivated me with its combination of bright greenery, curly support(I like vines), and unusual bright white and scarlet inflorescences. This indoor vine is a famous sun worshiper; it grows happily on my southern balcony. You just need to pay attention to watering, because large leaves evaporate a lot of moisture, and if there is insufficient moisture, they “hang” lifelessly along the stem. However, if you come to your senses in time (on the same day), water them properly - and they will again restore their turgor, come to life, straighten up, as if nothing had happened.

Why wouldn't this liana be a sun worshiper?Clerodendrum thomsoniae originally from the western coast of Africa! And its name was given thanks to the scarlet drops of “blood” that protrude from the snow-white, heart-shaped flowers.

The word "Clerodendrum" itself is translated as "tree of fate", from the Greek words kleros - fate and dendron - tree. The flowers consist of spherical white calyxes, from which emerge shiny dark red corollas with prominent stamens extending well beyond the petals.

The flowers last a long time, several months, although the red corolla falls off faster. As they age, the flowers change color from white to pale pink or lavender, but eventually take on a tan brownish hue as they dry out. Mrs. Thompson's clerodendrum will be in bloom almost all year round provided there is sufficient light and heat, but its most fertile period is in the summer. If pollinated, the flowers will produce fruits that, when ripe, turn from red to black and then split to reveal four black seeds.

In our conditions, clerodendrum needs a cooler wintering (between 10-16 degrees). Thanks to this, it will bloom most brightly and for a long time.

Since the plant is a climber, it can be formed as a more compact bush, achieving this by pruning and planting several copies in one container. You can also “curl” the plant around the support. The main thing is to carry out anti-aging pruning every spring., and shorten without sparing literally half. This pruning will stimulate future flowering well.

And finally, the question haunted me for a long time: Who is Mrs. Thompson, after whom the clerodendrum was named? There is little information on this topic on the Russian-language Internet; I had to do a little searching. Turned out to be Mrs. William CooperThompson was a missionary's wife United Presbyterian, which donated the plant to the Edinburgh Botanical Garden from southern Nigeria, Old Calabar. In honor of her, he received his botanical name.

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Dicentra, or dicletra, has a very characteristic and unusual flower shape, for which it has received many romantic names. Dicentra is known to domestic flower growers as “broken heart”; because of its reddish-pink color, it is also called “flaming heart”. In Germany, dicentra is known as the “flower of the heart”, in France - “Jeannette’s heart”, in Poland - “the slipper of the Mother of God”.

Dicentra received a lot of names from the English people, which in meaning also mean “broken heart”, and literally as a heart that bleeds or a bleeding heart.

As a consequence weird shape The British call the dicentra the lyre flower Lyre Flower, as well as the ladies' medallion Ladies Locket - because of the drooping buds hanging on the peduncles, there is another strange name Chinaman's Breeches Chinese breeches. Although the name of the genus translated from Greek means two-spurred. The name diliter comes from Dielytra, given flower botanist Carl Linnaeus, which he interpreted as a flower “having two cases.”

Dicentra magnificent was first brought from China to England in 1810, and did not receive much recognition among flower growers; dicentra was almost forgotten and almost disappeared from culture, if not for an accident. An English botanist who explored a small island off the British coast in 1846 found the forgotten dicentra and sent it to London, to the Royal Horticultural Society. This time Dicentra splendor gained great popularity in England. Popularity appeared when dicenters from North America were also delivered to England.

Europe turned its attention and quickly spread the flower among itself.

In the book of the Russian biologist N.F. Zolotnitsky “Our garden flowers, vegetables and fruits. Their history, role in life and beliefs different nations“(1911) describes the belief of the German people associated with dicentra: “In Germany there is a belief that if a girl picks a dicentra flower and takes it with her, then when returning home she will certainly meet her betrothed. This belief was especially widespread in Pomerania and Macklenburg, where, as a result, a song was written about this plant, and its translation is as follows: “What a stupid fellow can’t imagine! He imagines that I have already given him my heart, but I didn’t give it away, but only hung it on a thread.” This belief also extended to guys, and every guy who meets a girl he likes while he has this flower sees her as his future bride. And strange as it may seem, thanks to the dicentre and the belief associated with it, as they say, many weddings are held in Pomerania every year.”

And in France there is a legend according to which the dicentra is called Jeannette’s flower. A young girl went into the forest to pick berries and got lost. Having lost her way, she walked along quite a few forest paths until the sun began to hide in the dense crowns of trees. It was getting dark. Jeannette was about to despair when a young and handsome horseman appeared right in front of her. He quickly picked her up, all in tears, onto his horse and galloped out of the forest. All the way home, Jeanette pressed herself against the rider’s chest, fleeing thoughts of the impending threat. Once at home, she kissed her savior deeply and for a long time could not stop her heartbeat. A little time passed, but the image of the beautiful horseman did not leave her thoughts. Jeanette realized that she was looking forward to meeting him, her heart told her that she should see him again.

One morning a wedding procession passed through the village, people came out of the house into the street to greet the newlyweds. When Jeanette came closer, she saw her savior in a couple next to a happy, pretty girl. Jeanette’s heart couldn’t stand it, it burst and turned into a dicentra flower. Now among the French, the flower symbolizes the pain caused by love.