Native to the eastern United States, Dicentra eximia (Fringed Bleeding Heart) is a compact, bushy perennial adorned with a ferny, much dissected, gray-green foliage which persists throughout the growing season and does not go summer dormant if given adequate moisture. Blooming freely over a long period extending from early spring to frost, charming clusters of small rose-pink buds open to reveal pale to dark pink, nodding, heart-shaped blossoms which dance gracefully above the lush foliage mound. Flowering will stop in the heat of the summer (particularly in the hotter climates) and may start again in late summer or early fall. A reliable performer, Dicentra eximia resembles the showier Asian Bleeding Heart (D. spectabilis), which is often cultivated in eastern gardens and usually goes dormant by mid-summer. Heat tolerant if planted in rich, moist soil in shade, Dicentra eximia is an excellent choice for southern gardens.