Plants with heart-shaped leaves are some of the most beautiful for gardens and indoor spaces. The cordate leaf shape with its rounded base and pointed tip resembles a heart, symbolizing love and care. When heart-shaped leaves also feature delicately scalloped or crenate margins, it adds lovely aesthetic detail. These distinctive leaves can help narrow down plant identification and showcase signature traits of certain plant families. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges and how to recognize them.
Why Leaf Shape Matters for Plant Identification
Leaf shape provides valuable clues when identifying unknown plants. Categories like ovate, lanceolate, palmate pinnate orbicular, and cordate describe the overall leaf form. Details like the leaf edges – whether serrated, lobed, or scalloped – offer additional distinguishing features.
Plants in the same family often share characteristic leaf shapes and patterns, not just flower traits. Recognizing these common leaf hallmarks helps point to the plant’s family and genus. Spotting specific features like scalloped leaf edges further narrows the possibilities.
Paying attention to leaf morphology provides important contextual information for identification. Next, let’s look at some common examples of heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges.
Maple Trees
Several tree species in the genus Acer produce iconic palmate, lobed leaves. Many maple trees feature scalloped leaf edges like
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
- Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
- Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) – famously showcases scallops
Maple leaves grow in opposite pairs along the stem. Their palmate shape with lobes radiating from a central point mirrors a handprint. The scalloped edges add aesthetic appeal.
Redbud
The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small flowering tree native across eastern North America Its heart-shaped leaves emerge reddish-purple before turning green The leaf edges are smoothly scalloped,
Redbuds grow as understory trees, often with multiple trunks. Their abundant pinkish-purple blooms stand out against the forest backdrop in early spring.
Katsura Tree
For a larger tree with heart-shaped leaves, consider the Katsura tree (Cercidipyllum japonicum). The leaves are smaller than the redbud, but the tree is larger, often 50 feet tall. The leaves have scalloped edges and sometimes have a sweet scent when dropping in fall.
Catalpa
Catalpa trees in the genus Catalpa have some of the most prominent heart-shaped leaves. Species like the Southern Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) and Northern Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) have leaves up to 12 inches wide that are deeply cordate with entire, wavy margins.
Other identification cues for catalpas include showy spring flowers, long seed pods, and coarse branching patterns.
Lamb’s Ear
Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) is a common perennial grown for both its foliage and flowers. Its velvety, gray-green leaves are strongly cordate with delicately scalloped edges. The leaves inspired its common name since they resemble a lamb’s ears.
Lamb’s ear thrives in full sun and spreads rapidly in the garden from rhizomes. Give it space or contain it by edging.
Lady’s Mantle
Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is a lovely perennial known for its pleated, scalloped leaves that collect rain and dew. The fan-shaped green leaves form an attractive foliage rosette. Lady’s mantle grows up to 2 feet tall with airy sprays of tiny yellow-green flowers in summer.
Geranium
Many cranesbill geraniums have attractively cut leaves. The wild geranium Geranium maculatum features deeply lobed, palmate leaves with rounded marginal teeth resembling scallops. The overall leaf shape resembles a crane’s foot, giving rise to its common name.
Woodland geraniums bloom April-June with bold pinkish-purple flowers. They spread readily in optimal growing conditions.
Violet
While most violet species have heart-shaped foliage, certain wild violets have leaves with extra scalloped edges. This includes the Birdfoot Violet (Viola pedata). Its foliage has a lovely bipinnate form with linear segments creating an almost fern-like appearance.
Other violets with scalloped or crenate leaf edges include Viola striata, Viola rostrata, and Viola nephrophylla. Look for violets in rich, moist woods and floodplains.
Bellwort
The sessile-leaved bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia) emerges in spring with a pair of large, elliptical bluish-green leaves from the base. The leaves have smooth, wavy margins that create a subtly scalloped effect. Dangling yellow bell-shaped flowers bloom above on threadlike stalks.
Joe Pye Weed
The leaves of spotted Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum) also display subtle scalloping around the leaf edges. The lanceolate leaves occur in whorls of 3-6 along the tall stems. Tiny pinkish-purple flowers form dense domed clusters in late summer.
Joe Pye weed grows naturally in moist meadows, thickets, and along streambanks. Some common names like Queen of the Meadow hint at its preferred habitat.
Columbine
Some columbine species like Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) produce compound leaves made up of three leaflets. Each leaflet is deeply cleft with rounded lobes resulting in a scalloped appearance.
The intricate foliage complements the showy red and yellow blooms dangling from columbine’s distinctive spurs. This woodland wildflower grows across eastern North America.
Identifying Scalloped Leaves
When trying to identify an unknown plant, carefully examine the leaf shape. If heart-shaped or palmate leaves are spotted, check the leaf margins for signs of scalloping.
Compare the unknown plant to known species sharing those traits. Consider details like overall plant size, habitat, plant family characteristics, and other identifying factors to pin down the exact species.
With practice observing nature and becoming familiar with key botanical features, identifying plants by their leaves gets much easier. Soon you’ll start recognizing patterns and making connections between the distinctive shapes, margins, venation, texture, arrangement, and other enduring leaf features across the plant kingdom.
Appreciate not just the flowers, but the foliage too. Beautiful leaves like those with heart-shapes and scalloped edges provide year-round botanical interest, fall color, and clues to enrich the plant identification journey.
Indoor Plants with Heart-shaped Leaves
Hedera helix. Photo courtesy of Cindy Haynes.
Sweetheart plant (Hoya kerrii) is a succulent that is sold as a single, heart-shaped cutting in a pot. While the thick, dark green heart-shaped leaf in a pot is super cute and unique, alas, the cutting rarely lasts, so treat this one as a temporary houseplant. The full form of this plant (which is covered in heart-shaped leaves) is more durable and a long-lived houseplant, but just like true love, sometimes harder to find.
If your sweetheart is a novice gardener, consider the Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron cordatum or P. scandens). This trailing vine is nearly impossible to kill. Plants are adaptable to moderate or low light situations and inconsistent watering practices.
Another easy-to-grow trailing plant with green and gold heart-shaped leaves is golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), but its other common name of devil’s ivy sometimes prevents its purchase for Valentine’s Day – no matter how worthy the plant is!
English ivy (Hedera helix), another vining plant, will occasionally have cultivars with heart-shaped leaves.
String of hearts or Chain of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is another vining plant with small gray and green, mottled, heart-shaped leaves. This vine is more delicate looking than heartleaf philodendron but almost as durable in bright light with regular watering.
There are many tropical ferns that perform well indoors as houseplants. Heartleaf fern (Hemionitis arifolia) is unlike other ferns, as the leaves are dark, green, and distinctly heart-shaped. For best growth, place this fern in bright, indirect light and keep it consistently moist.
The vibrant pink, red, white, or lavender flowers of the cyclamen have reflexed petals – giving them a windswept appearance. Photo courtesy of Cindy Haynes.
Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is widely available in February at garden centers, florists, and grocery stores. The vibrant pink, red, white, or lavender flowers have reflexed petals – giving them a windswept appearance. The leaves are dark green hearts with decorative silver markings on top. Plants perform best in bright, indirect light, and cool temperatures (around 65F).
Anthurium or Flamingo flower (Anthurium hybrids) is a show-stopping plant with heart-shaped leaves and flowers. The waxy red, pink, or white flowers last for a long time indoors. It brings an exotic or tropical touch to home décor. Plants are best suited to bright, indirect light and consistent moisture.
Anthurium or Flamingo flower (Anthurium hybrids) is a show-stopping plant with heart-shaped leaves and flowers. Courtesy of Cindy Haynes.
FolkArt One Stroke: Practice Strokes With Donna – Heart-Shaped Leaves | Donna Dewberry 2020
FAQ
What tree has heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges?
The American Basswood of the genus Tilia can be difficult to distinguish from other members of its genus both native and introduced. This canopy tree has heart-shaped leaves that are finely serrated and uneven at their base.
What is the plant with heart-shaped leaves called?
Hoya kerrii is commonly called Hoya heart, Valentine plant, or Sweetheart plant because of its heart-shape form.
What are invasive heart-shaped leaves?
The Japanese morning glory can be considered an invasive weed in some areas. The Japanese Morning Glory is a broadleaf plant that has heart-shaped leaves. While some people grow it by choice, the plant has become a weed in the San Joaquin Valley in California, especially in cotton farms.
What does it mean when you find a heart leaf?
The heart-shaped foliage conveys love, harmony, and thoughtfulness.Apr 8, 2024
Which tree has heart shaped leaves?
For a larger tree with heart-shaped leaves consider the Katsura tree (Cercidipyllum japonicum). The leaves are smaller than redbud, but the tree is larger (often 50 feet tall). The leaves have scalloped edges and sometimes have a sweet scent when they drop in fall.
What do heart shaped leaves look like?
The heart-shaped leaves are simple leaves that grow alternately on brown to reddish-brown twigs. The leaf is egg-shaped with a tapering apex, finely-toothed margin, and cordate base. They have a dark green upper surface, lighter underside, and fine hairs along the vein axils. What plants have heart shaped leaves?
Which plants have heart-shaped leaves?
A wide range of plants have heart-shaped leaves. The most common varieties are vining plants like philodendrons, creeping fig, morning glory, and black-eyed Susan vine. Plants with leaves in a heart shape can also be ornamental shrubs, potted houseplants, and trees.
What does a heart shaped tree look like?
Many trees have leafy foliage resembling the traditional shape of a heart. The leaves are triangularly shaped with a rounded base, indented at the center. The other end of the leaf tapers to an apex. Heart-shaped tree leaves can be cordate or obcordate, depending on which end has the petiole.
What does a heart shaped leaf symbolize?
In various cultures, heart-shaped leaves symbolize love, compassion, and emotional connection. Understanding the symbolic significance of these leaves adds a deeper layer of appreciation for the plants that exhibit this unique leaf shape.
What is a heart shaped plant?
Lungwort: With its silver-spotted leaves, Lungwort is like a starry night sky captured on heart-shaped canvases.4. Caladium: These vibrant leaves dance with patterns that seem to whisper secrets of the heart. The shape of a leaf is a botanical fingerprint, influenced by genetics, environment, and the plant’s own personality.