Bleeding Heart Vine vs. Bleeding Heart: Identifying Your Tropical Climber

You don't have the cold-hardy bleeding heart (Dicentra spp.)—you have bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), a tropical plant that thrives in Florida but isn't winter-hardy in north Georgia. Its relatives, harlequin glorybower (Clerodendron trichotomum) and peanut butter plant (Clerodendron bungei), often become invasive in Georgia gardens through prolific suckering.

You can try cutting the vine back to a few feet in November and bringing it indoors for winter, but it won't resume growth until May. Consider whether this high-maintenance tropical suits your landscape goals.