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The Bleeding Heart flower is known scientifically as Lamprocapnos spectabilis, though it is also referred to as fallopian buds, Asian bleeding-heart, Lyre flower, heart flower and lady-in-a-bath.
This heart-shaped species is a member of the poppy family Papaveraceae, and is native to Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan.
With its plump, heart-shaped petals and deep rose hue, it’s impossible not to associate this flower with love and passion. Let’s take a closer look at the meaning and symbolism of the Bleeding Heart flower…
Table of Contents
Meaning of the Bleeding Heart Flower
Flowers are often used to represent a greater meaning, and the Bleeding Heart flower is no different. There are several meanings to the Bleeding Heart flower, including:
- Speaking about your emotions
- Passionate love
- Rejected love
- Sensitivity and emotionality
- Compassion and unconditional love and
- Spiritual connection
Every flower has a special meaning and symbolism that acts almost as a message of wisdom relating to life. The Bleeding Heart flower is all about speaking your emotions rather than hiding them away.
It’s about seizing the moment when it arrives, and telling somebody you love them so that the moment doesn’t pass you by and you regret not telling them.
The Bleeding Heart flower represents the need to be yourself and not hide away your true self and feelings. Share your emotions with those closest to you.
Symbolism of the Bleeding Heart Flower
With a name as vivid as Bleeding Heart flower, it’s no surprise that this flower is rich in symbolism. Traditionally this plant was known as Dicentra spectabilis. In Greek, ‘dicentre’ means two mammals, and ‘specitabilis’ means worthy of attention or spectacular.
The English name for this plant – Bleeding Heart – is based on the flower’s looks, with its heart shaped flower head and petals trailing off that look like a heart that is bleeding.
The Bleeding Heart flower is also associated with the tale of a prince who desperately tried to win over the heart of a beautiful princess. Despite the prince returning from his travels with wonderful gifts for the princess, she refused to notice him.
One day, the prince returned from a long trip with a special gift. First, he presented to the princess two magic pink bunnies that he placed on either side of some flower petals. The princess barely looked at the bunnies, but the prince refused to give up.
Instead, he gifted her a pair of the most beautiful silk slippers. The princess took them but told him she could never love him.
The prince tries one more time to win her over, putting a pair of magic earrings on two long white petals and presenting them to the princess.
The princess barely looks at them, and the poor prince’s heart completely breaks. Not knowing how he can live on, he pulls out a knife and kills himself.
In the place where the price killed himself, the first Bleeding Heart flower sprung. Only then did the princess realize how much the prince loved her, but it’s too late, and instead her heart will forever bleed for the prince.
Bleeding Heart Color Symbolism
The Bleeding Heart flower is usually pink or red in color. There is also a white version of the flower, but this is very rare. So what do these colors symbolize?
Pink
Pink symbolizes romance, love, subtleness, and kindness, therefore pink Bleeding Heart flowers can be gifted as a symbol of love and adoration. This doesn’t only mean romantic love – they can also be gifted to a family member or a dear friend.
Red
The red Bleeding Heart flower is a symbol of love and romance. The color red is a symbol of love, romance, passion, power, and strength, therefore making red Bleeding Heart flowers the perfect gift for a partner to represent your romantic love.
White
White Bleeding Heart flowers are rare, making these flowers the perfect gift for someone special.
The white color symbolizes innocence and purity, faith and clarity, and combined with the overall symbolism of the Bleeding Heart flower, this is the perfect way to send an emotional message to someone you love and care about, whether a family member or friend.
Final Say
The Bleeding Heart flower and the story behind it teach us that even rejected love is better than silence. You should always speak your truth and be true to yourself and your feelings.