Dicentra Spectabilis

Dicentra spectabilis
Dicentra spectabilis: broken or bleeding heart

My previous appartment had a nice loggia too. Since a couple of years I live in this nice appartment with a smaller loggia and with no balcony. Now that I am retired I spend more time on this sun-drenched one. In both meanings of the word ‘on’. The offical name of this plant is Dicentra Spectabilis. The English (and Dutch) names for it are more interesting. ‘Broken hearts’ and ‘bleeding hearts’. The flowering is abundant. And early. This photo is from the beginning of April. So the very beginning of spring.
When you look for advice about this plant, you read that it becomes a measly plant after flowering: make sure that another plant fills the ‘hole’ after flowering!

While I write this text I listen to a series of blues songs. Blues is special: the subject is sad, but simultaneously can be comforting. Makes me think of this (rightly) viral video about a crying baby (It is so touching. The link goes to an ABC-news video. But do not watch the part after 0:50, better read the comments there!).

It is not hard to guess where the ‘heart’ in the ‘broken hearts’ or ‘bleeding hearts’ come from, but what about the breaking and bleeding? Clearly it is not some form of appreciating decay.
Growing older I do more often wonder about these type of questions but no mistake: answering those definitely has no priority for me.

At my previous balcony. Yes: grapes. Small, but edible.

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