Dicentra Cucullaria

Dicentra Cucullaria Care

Dicentra Cucullaria

What is the plant

Dicentra cucullaria, or Dutchman's breeches, is a perennial herbaceous plant, native to rich woods of eastern North America, with a disjunct population in the Columbia Basin.The common name Dutchman's breeches derives from their white flowers that look like white breeches.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Shade

Hardiness zone

3 - 7

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Rain provides the only watering the pots need until shoots emerge in March. They then rapidly make luxuriant, yet delicate, growth. This strong head of foliage is very susceptible to drying out when strong late Winter winds blow. By the time of full flowering the plants might need generous watering every day. On the other hand if it is wet and windless, they need no watering at all.
Pruning
If desired, remove faded or dead foliage.
Fertilizer
Amend the soil with compost.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
Prefers rich, moist, humusy soils in part shade. Intolerant of wet soils in winter. This is a spring ephemeral which usually disappears from the garden by early summer (dry soils tend to hasten this process).
Temperature
The temperature below it usually keeps in the optimum range of –4 to 0°C
Additional
Like its relative squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis), all parts of dutchman's breeches are poisonous to cats, cattle, and humans because it synthesizes the neurotoxic alkaloid isoquinoline. The underground tubers have been found to cause convulsions in cattle.