Bleeding Heart Vine
Clerodendrum
A Bleeding Heart Vine Plant, native to tropical west Africa, is grown for its masses of beautiful bi-colored flowers. Each flower on a Bleeding Heart Vine is made up of a corolla or inner group of bright red petals that emerge from a white calyx or outer part of the flower. The Bleeding Heart Vine’s nickname, the “Bag Plant” refers to the shape of the outer white petals. When planted in a container, a Bleeding Heart Vine can grow up to 3 feet in length, outside in tropical areas, it often reaches 15 feet. A Bleeding Heart Vine has twining stems with large attractive dark green leaves. You can place a trellis in your container to help a Bleeding Heart Vine grow tall or place it on a shelf or in a hanging basket.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Light
A Bleeding Heart Vine plant loves very bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. but no direct sun. The brighter the light, the more blossoms a Bleeding Heart Vine produces.
Water
Keep the soil of a Bleeding Heart Vine moist in the spring and summer but not soggy. When a Bleeding Heart Vine is resting in the fall and winter, place it in a cool location and water infrequently. Never use ice cold water on a Bleeding Heart Vine.
Fertilizer
Feed a Bleeding Heart Vine plant every two weeks with a balanced fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
at 1/2 the recommended strength when the plant is actively growing.
Temperature
A Bleeding Heart Vine does well in regular household temperatures in the spring and summer, but likes cooler temperatures between 55-60 degrees when it is resting in the late fall and winter.
Humidity
Bleeding Heart Vine Plants grow better when there is high humidity in the spring and summer and normal household humidity the rest of the year.
Flowering
A Bleeding Heart Vine usually flowers from March through October (spring through summer) when it is getting very bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.. The number of flowers a Bleeding Heart Vine produces gradually decreases as Fall approaches.
Pests
Bleeding Heart Vine Plants are seldom bothered by pests, but every once in a while spider mitesLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them. and Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants. can be a problem.
Diseases
botrytisBotrytis, or Gray Mold as it is commonly called, is a fungus that attacks the leaves, flowers, stems, and rhizomes of house plants. It first appears as a round brown or gray spot that gradually turns into a mass of fuzzy gray spores. This is where the nickname, Gray Mold, comes from. Prevent Botrytis by quickly removing all dead or dying leaves and flowers that can serve as a breeding grounds. Keep water off of the leaves and provide good air circulation around plants. If a plant becomes infected with Gray Mold, trim off the diseased areas, remove any soil that has mold on it, and spray with a commercial fungicide. If you are adverse to chemicals you can try this homemade remedy. Put a tablespoon or two of baking soda in a spray bottle, add a teaspoon or two of mineral oil, and fill with water. Shake well and spray all parts of the plant. Botrytis often attacks the flower buds of Cyclamen, Begonias, African Violets, Lilies, and Geraniums. Blight is a plant disease that affects Bleeding Heart Vine Plants, but can be prevented by keeping the plant in an area with good air circulation from a fan or a window breeze.
Soil
Use a rich organic soil that drains quickly for a Bleeding Heart Vine Plant.
Pot Size
Re-pot a Bleeding Heart Vine Plant every year in the spring to the next size pot.
Pruning
A Bleeding Heart Vine Plant produces long, weak stems that need to be pruned back in the late fall after the plant has finished blooming. Pruning a Bleeding Heart Vine encourages the plant to become bushier. Since the beautiful flowers of a Bleeding Heart Vine only develop on the new growth, it's important to cut the plant back only after it blooms.
Propagation
Propagate a Bleeding heart Vine plant from stem tip cuttings in the late spring or summer. Always use a sterile potting soil when re-potting a Bleeding Heart Vine to prevent botrytisBotrytis, or Gray Mold as it is commonly called, is a fungus that attacks the leaves, flowers, stems, and rhizomes of house plants. It first appears as a round brown or gray spot that gradually turns into a mass of fuzzy gray spores. This is where the nickname, Gray Mold, comes from. Prevent Botrytis by quickly removing all dead or dying leaves and flowers that can serve as a breeding grounds. Keep water off of the leaves and provide good air circulation around plants. If a plant becomes infected with Gray Mold, trim off the diseased areas, remove any soil that has mold on it, and spray with a commercial fungicide. If you are adverse to chemicals you can try this homemade remedy. Put a tablespoon or two of baking soda in a spray bottle, add a teaspoon or two of mineral oil, and fill with water. Shake well and spray all parts of the plant. Botrytis often attacks the flower buds of Cyclamen, Begonias, African Violets, Lilies, and Geraniums. and other fungal infections from developing. A Bleeding Heart Vine Plant can also be propagated by seeds in the early spring.
Resting Period
A Bleeding Heart Vine Plant needs to go dormant and rest during the winter in order to grow well the rest of the year. From mid-November to mid-February, keep a Bleeding Heart Vine in a cool room out of direct sunlight, water only when the soil is dry, and do not fertilize. A Bleeding Heart Vine may lose some or most of its leaves during this period but new leaves sprout from the roots of what appears to be dead wood in the spring when you move the plant to a bright location.
Poisonous Plant Info
Bleeding Heart Vine Plants are Poisonous HouseplantsIn her new book, Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat!, plant care professional Judy Feldstein shares information about twenty-five common houseplants, each with various levels of toxicity, and the possible consequences if your pet or child snacks on them. with a levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
#3 toxicity. Quite a bit of the plant needs to be eaten before there is a serious problem. However, small children, small dogs, and other pets should be kept away from Bleeding Heart Vine houseplants.
Can I plant a Bleeding Heart Vine outside?
Bleeding Heart Vines do well outside especially if you live where the temperature does not go below freezing in the winter. If the temperature does dip below freezing a little, the plant will probably lose its leaves but will regrow from the roots in the spring.
How do I get a Blooming Heart Vine Plant to bloom? I have had my Bleeding Heart Vine for several years, no flowers but otherwise the plant looks great and is producing lots of new leaves.
I think you are watering your Blooming Heart Vine correctly and giving it enough light or it wouldn’t be growing well and producing new leaves. In order for a Bleeding Heart Vine to produce flowers you need to prune it back in the late fall after the plant has finished blooming. Since the flowers of a Bleeding Heart Vine develop on the new growth, it's important to cut the plant back after it blooms. Bleeding Heart Vines need to rest during the fall and winter in order to bloom. Lastly, check to see if the plant is root bound, if so move it to the next size pot. A Bleeding Heart Vine will not bloom if the roots are too crowded.
Is a Bleeding Heart Vine really poisonous?I put my Bleeding Heart Vine outside for the summer and when I brought it in I found there were caterpillars nibbling on it. I thought my Bleeding Heart Vine was poisonous so how do caterpillars munch on it and still live?
A Bleeding heart Vine plant is a poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. plant, but caterpillars are the one little pest that seems immune to the toxin. In fact, if another animal eats a caterpillar after it has munched on a Bleeding Heart Vine, that animal becomes ill. I have found that Neem OilLearn about Neem Oil, a natural, organic, non-toxic product for treating houseplant insects and diseases. works well in getting rid of Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pestss on a Bleeding Heart Vine and does not harm the plant.
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