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A Special Flower

   Written by on April 17, 2014 at 4:02 pm

A few years ago this reporter discovered an unusual, beautiful flowering plant in my sister-in-law’s flower bed. I had seen pictures of this plant but had never seen the actual flower.

I soon discovered that I was gazing at a Bleeding Heart flower. Its dainty blooms filled each stem and were shaped like tiny hearts; many, many tiny hearts!

logo-community-newsAs I read about the Bleeding Heart, I learned it was a perennial, meaning that it comes back each year, so I immediately set out to purchase one to plant in our yard. I also read that it comes in white, red, pink or yellow colors. I didn’t realize this on my first purchase so I selected a white one.

That year, this gorgeous flower outshined my other perennials. It bloomed in the spring and lasted almost all summer. That enticed me to get a plant in red and another in pink. I haven’t seen a yellow one, yet. Last year all three bloomed steadily so I must have selected the correct shady spot for planting.

This year all three are up and blooming. They are certainly brightening up the corner of our house after such a long, bleak winter. Ah, Spring!

This old-fashioned Bleeding Heart has an interesting legend. The flowers hold clues to a tragic tale of unrequited love.

Long ago there lived a noble prince who tried in vain to win the heart of a very beautiful princess. The prince had brought the princess many wonderful gifts from his far and wide travels and yet, she had taken no notice of him. One day the prince returned from a long journey with very special gifts to surely win the love of the princess. First he presented her with two magical pink bunnies. (While you are holding a heart blossom in your hand, peel off the two outer petals and set them on their sides to display two little pink bunnies.)

The princess only sighed and barely looked at the little bunnies. The hopeful prince had one more gift that he saved for last. He presented her with a pair of beautiful enchanted earrings. (Now, remove the two long white petals and hold them next to your ears.) They look exactly like earrings!

Again, the princess hardly noticed the prince’s gift. Now, the poor prince was utterly heartbroken. He could try no more to win the heart of the princess. He rose up, pulled a dagger from his sheath and stabbed himself in the heart. (Remaining in the flower is a heart shape with the stamen, appearing as a dark green line down the center. Hold the heart up, carefully remove the dagger-like line and plunge the dagger through the heart.)

The princess was overcome by the dedication of the dying prince and his unending love for her. She realized too late that she loved him also. “Alas,” she cried out. “I have done wrong; my own heart is also broken. I shall bleed for my prince forever more!” And, her heart bleeds to this very day.

There are many blossoms on a Bleeding Heart in full bloom so the next time you pass such a delightful array, perhaps you’ll have permission to pick a heart and discover the mysteries within!

The botanical name, Dicentra spectabilis, is aptly descriptive. Dicentra, from Greek, means “two spurs” and spectabilis means “spectacular,” which describes the Bleeding Heart perfectly.

No other plant bears perfect heart-shaped flowers like those of the Bleeding Heart. If you press the flowers between the pages of a heavy book, you’ll have papery-thin hearts to adorn letters or valentines. If you turn a flower upside down and pull the two halves apart, you’ll see a lady in a pink bathtub.

If you have a flower garden of any kind, please get a Bleeding Heart. It will be the center of attention!

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