Southern Indiana Wildflower Walks

Squirrel Corn: Dicentra canadensis I always called this wildflower “Dutchman’s Breeches”, but learned from “Wildflowers of Indiana Woodlands” that it is a close relative: Squirrel Corn. The Dicentra, also called “Bleeding hearts” have a heart-shaped flower. Both Squirrel Corn and Dutchman’s Breeches are Dicentra, meaning “two-spurred” in Greek. They are both of the Poppy family. Both have slender, smooth stems and a three-parted leaf. Both have fine, fern-like foliage and grow in clusters, often blanketing a wooded area. Squirrel Corn and Dutchman’s Breeches often grow together. The flowers of Squirrel Corn have a more heart-shaped appearance than Dutchman’s Breeches which look more like an upside-down pair of pants. Some species of Bleeding hearts, such as the Dicentra spectabis or Japanese Bleeding heart, are grown in gardens. Sources: Wildflowers of Indiana Woodlands, by Sylvan T. Runkel and Alvin F. Bull. Copyright 1979, Iowa State University Press

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