Also called climbing fumitory, this herbaceous climber is native to North America where it grows on wet wooded slopes and is considered an endagered species in some of its range. It is in the poppy family, Papaveraceae, sub family Fumarioideae, and is related to bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia, D. formosa, D. spectabilis et. al.) and dutchmans’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria). It has delicate stems up to ten feet long that climb by means of the leaf petiole and need help climbing . The fern like foliage is light green and has pinately compouded leaves that are up to ten inches long at the bottom but significantly shorter near the tip. The white to pale pink flowers are carried as axillary clusters in summer. The specific epithet fungosa means spongy and refers to the texture of the flowers.
Type: Biennial vine
Bloom: White to pale pink flowes in summer
Size: 8-10″ long
Light: Part shade
Soil: Average, moist, well-drained
Care: Protect from wind; help plants to drape on shrubs
Hardiness: Zones 3-7
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Seed
Companion Plants: Shrubes with dark green foliage so the flowers stand out
Karen Meyers