Question: I'm confused about the difference between bleeding heart and dutchman's breeches. I always thought that the garden variety (bleeding heart) …
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Question
I'm confused about the difference between bleeding heart and dutchman's breeches. I always thought that the garden variety (bleeding heart) was a cultivated version of the wildflower that I am familiar with (dutchman's breeches). Now I come to learn that the garden variety came from Asia, and was recently given a new taxonomic classification (genus lamprocapnos instead of dicentra). How (if at all) are the two related? Thanks.
Answer
Dear jj5406, great question. While Dicentra and Lamprocapnos are clearly related to each other, as evidenced by the similarity in the their overall flower structure and leaf form, they have many differences. For example, Dicentra (Dutchman's-breeches) emerges from a series of scaly bulbs, while Lamprocapnos (bleeding-heart) has a rhizome (underground, horizontal stem). Dicentra has all basal leaves, Lamprocapnos has a leafy stem. Dicentra has petals all similar colored, the inner ones of Lamprocapnos are of a different color (except in white-flowered forms). Hopefully this gives you some items to understand the differences between these two genera. Best wishes.
