Saturday, March 26, 2011

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)



My best shot at an ID: Dicentra cucullaria
Plant family: Fumariaceae (Fumitory - Bleeding Heart)
Habitat: Rich moist woods, shaded ledges and banks, especially north slopes. Locally abundant especially the mountains.
Range: North Dakota to Quebec and south as far as northern Georgia. Very scattered locations in the southern part of range. Also found in a few northwestern states.
Plant Type: Native perennial.
Flower description: The flowers are irregular in shape and are up to 1.75cm long (0.7 inches). Flowers actually have 4 petals, the inner ones are very small. The pair of outer petals form a swollen 'V' making the hanging flower look like a pair of breeches hung upside-down.
Lore: Native Americans used Dutchman's Breeches as a love potion and in making love charms.

We are pretty much at the southern limit of this unusual little flower's range. Jo and I have only found it growing in one location in the area we normal frequent. It's abundant exactly where the guide books say it should be: A rich woodland shaded by a ledge on a north slope.


To see and enjoy more flowers from around the world, please visit Today's Flowers.

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14 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh! I haven't seen these since I was a little girl in Wisconsin, walking thru the woods and creeks. But as soon as I saw the title of your post, I remembered EXACTLY what they were! Thanks for the greatness of transporting me back!

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  2. The little Dutchmen are showing their breeches here too. I am gonna post them too. Don't you just love em.

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  3. One of my favorite spring flowers to locate in the Maine woods. How beautiful! Ours are more yellow.

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  4. Ooo - one of my favorites, too. Probably because I've only seen them a couple times.

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  5. Most of the bleeding hearts here are red but there are some white. My mother has them all over her garden since they seem to spread their seeds so well. I love them but we won't see them for a while yet - still too cold!

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  6. That is so beautiful! Good eyes, you two; nice capture, Jo.

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  7. Oh, what a beauty! I love native wild flowers.

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  8. Just lovely...
    Wonderful picture!!

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  9. I've seen it on the top of a rich woodland shady site with goldenseal nearby.

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  10. Beautiful flower and great information too.

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  11. hee hee...
    The flower is well-named!

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  12. Perfect shot, beautifully captured! This is the best photo of this plant that I've ever seen. Just gorgeous!

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