A perfectly placed hanging basket filled with bountiful blooms can add a colorful touch to a shaded front porch or bland garden spot. Selecting the right plant for the right spot will ensure lasting color that radiates life all season long.
Bleeding heart flowers are known for their stunning cascades of pink and white blooms that dangle romantically from arching stems. While these beauties are traditionally planted in garden beds, they can also thrive when grown in hanging baskets. If you want to add a graceful focal point to your porch, patio or garden, follow this complete guide to successfully growing bleeding hearts in hanging baskets.
An Overview of Bleeding Heart Flowers
Bleeding hearts, scientifically called Lamprocapnos spectabilis, are herbaceous perennials native to Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan. These elegant flowers have been cultivated in gardens for centuries, remaining a favorite due to their graceful appearance.
There are two main types of bleeding hearts:
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Pink bleeding heart – Features pink and white blooms This is the most common and recognizable variety Blooms in spring,
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Yellow bleeding heart – A newer variety with golden yellow and white flowers that blooms in summer.
Both types spread rapidly when planted directly in garden beds. But contained in hanging baskets, they make lovely focal points that are easy to display and enjoy.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Bleeding Hearts
For the best results, bleeding hearts require:
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Light: Dappled sunlight or part shade. Avoid full sun.
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Soil: Loose, humus-rich soil that drains well. Neutral to slightly acidic pH.
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Water: Consistent moisture, but avoid soggy soil. Allow top few inches to dry between waterings.
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Temperature: Cool conditions between 60-70°F (15-21°C). Don’t allow below freezing.
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Fertilizer: Apply balanced fertilizer monthly during growth if needed.
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Pruning: Remove spent flower stems and damaged foliage.
Choosing the Right Hanging Basket
Look for a hanging basket at least 12-14 inches wide and 10-12 inches deep to provide enough room for bleeding heart’s spreading roots. Ideally, choose a basket with multiple drainage holes to prevent soggy soil.
Self-watering hanging baskets are excellent choices since they help maintain consistent soil moisture thanks to their built-in water reservoirs. This helps prevent drying out.
Ensure the hanging basket and hanger can support the weight when the plant is mature and the soil is wet. Wind can also add stress to the hanger.
Planting Bleeding Hearts in a Hanging Basket
Follow these tips for successfully planting bleeding hearts in a hanging basket:
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Start with one established young plant or divide a mature plant. Bleeding hearts dislike transplanting.
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Add a quality potting mix designed for hanging baskets. Mix in compost or peat moss to improve drainage.
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Place the plant slightly off-center in the basket to allow for growth. Plant at the same level it was growing before.
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Water thoroughly after planting and let excess drain fully. Bleeding hearts hate soggy roots.
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Consider mixing in other shade-loving annuals or perennials with lower water needs, like begonias, impatiens or ferns.
Caring for Bleeding Hearts in Hanging Baskets
Once planted in hanging baskets, bleeding hearts need some special care:
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Check soil moisture frequently. Water when top few inches become dry. Avoid soggy soil.
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Apply balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during active growth.
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Monitor for pests like aphids or disease. Treat issues promptly. Remove spent blooms.
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Keep an eye on weight when basket is watered. Support heavier baskets with plant caddies.
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Move basket to a sheltered spot or bring indoors if temperatures drop below freezing.
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Cut back any unsightly growth and clear out dead leaves in late fall after plant goes dormant.
Tips for Growing Bleeding Hearts Successfully in Hanging Baskets
Follow these useful tips to keep your bleeding hearts thriving in hanging baskets:
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Start with young divisions or plants to prevent transplant shock.
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Pick a basket with drainage holes and a water reservoir to stop soggy soil.
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Plant slightly off-center in basket to allow for growth. Plant at the same level as before.
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Water properly, allowing soil to dry out between waterings. Check soil frequently.
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Give plants part shade exposure. Avoid hot sun that can burn leaves.
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Apply liquid fertilizer regularly during the active growing season.
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Watch for pests like aphids. Promptly treat any diseases.
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Protect from freezing and provide the needed winter dormancy period.
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Enjoy the graceful cascading blooms!
With the proper care, bleeding hearts make incredibly lovely additions to hanging baskets where their dangling flowers can be displayed and enjoyed with ease. Follow these tips and you’ll have success growing these elegant beauties.
The Best Hanging Plants for a Shaded Porch
There are plenty of colorful plants that love the low, filtered light of a tree-filled property or a shady corner of a screened porch. If you have a spot that only gets morning sun, or no sun at all, we offer several hanging flowering plants that thrive in shade.
Whether you’re an avid gardener or casual enthusiast, these hanging plants are relatively easy to grow and maintain, while making your porch look gorgeous! Below are our top 5 hanging baskets for shade.
Chenille plants are a gorgeous and unique option for your hanging baskets. Named for the French word “chenille” or “caterpillar,” this tropical plant features furry blooms that look like furry caterpillars or bushy foxtails. These blooms come in red and strawberry colors, as well as different lengths, depending on the variety you choose. Chenille blooms non-stop for enjoyment all year round.
The chenille is a hardy plant that can handle full sun in the morning; however, it does best when it has afternoon shade during hot summers. It needs moist soil, which is another reason why harsh sun that can dry out the plant should be avoided.
This excellent shade plant is also commonly used as a houseplant. Consider bringing your plant indoors during the winter. Simply deadhead fading flowers to maintain this jewel-colored plant.
A fuchsia is a showy flower that takes an unusual, pendulous shape. The fuchsia’s bright flowers contrast nicely with its dark green foliage, creating a beautiful hanging basket for your shaded porch or garden. The plant blooms throughout the summer and comes in a variety of pink, purple, and white colors.
You’ll love that this delicate-looking plant is not complicated to care for. It prefers lower temperatures and doesn’t like a lot of sunshine. Your plant will thrive in shade to partial shade. Too much sun will prevent your plant from offering the fullest blooms.
Winter your hanging plant indoors so that they can thrive all year long.
Add brilliant blue-purple color and velvety green leaves to your garden and hanging baskets with Streptocarpellas. This plant will stand out against other pink and red blossoms, which is why it’s one of the best hanging plants for a shaded porch. The cascading flowers will last from spring to fall, plus they attract hummingbirds.
Maintenance for this plant is simple! Streptocarpellas thrive in partial shade to full shade. They can handle up to 6 hours of sun if your porch gets morning light, but should get 4 to 6 hours of part sun and 4 hours of full shade.
Monitor the soil of your Streptocarpella and water as needed.
Another recommendation for a shade-loving hanging plant is the classic bleeding heart. This stunning plant features heart-shaped, pink-red flowers with a single hanging droplet and arching stems. The look of these blooms are hard to forget!
Unlike some of the other popular shade plants that bloom almost year-round, bleeding heart flowers bloom for several weeks. Their flowers will die off quickly if exposed to too much sun, so be sure to find that shady or partial sun spot for it to hang. They also need to be watered thoroughly throughout the summer.
No de-heading is needed and you can expect the plant to bloom again next season. Come out to our garden center today to shop for these hanging baskets for shade and other amazing plants!
Torenias create a lovely, bright spot in your shady areas. These plants boast velvety bi-color or tri-color flowers, featuring purples, pinks, whites, and yellows. The flowers are shaped like little trumpets among beautiful green leaves. Upright and trailing varieties are available, making this one of the best hanging plants for a shaded porch or garden.
Torenias prefer morning sun and afternoon shade and are heat-tolerant once established. Some pruning may be required to keep flowering and shape. With proper care and watering, flowers will last from spring until first frost.
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FAQ
Can you grow bleeding hearts in a hanging basket?
Yes, bleeding heart can grow in a hanging basket. The plant is a perennial and has graceful arching stems full of dangling blooms. It has small, heart shaped pink or white flowers that put on a show of color against the light green foliage and stems.
Do bleeding heart flowers like full sun or shade?
Bleeding heart grows best in light shade, although it will tolerate full sun in moist and cool climates. In most locations plants prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. They also need well-drained soil and will rot if the soil remains too soggy.
Do bleeding hearts grow well in containers?
This classic old-fashioned garden plant is a natural for beds and borders in USDA Zones 3–9, but it also grows well in containers. Plant bleeding heart in well-draining soil in a location where it receives partial shade or sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon.
What happens when you touch a bleeding heart flower?
A word of caution: Although bleeding hearts appear delicate and harmless, all parts of the plant are toxic to pets and humans if eaten. Touching them may cause skin irritation, so wear gloves as a precaution.