DICENTRA IS MAGNIFICENT
Dicentra magnificent was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus under the name Fumaria spectabilis. In 1847 she was transferred to the genus Dicentra. In 1997, based on molecular studies, this species was allocated to a separate genus, Lamprocapnos. The Russian common name for the plant is “broken heart.”
A sad legend according to which the dicentra is called Jeannette’s flower. A young girl went into the forest to pick berries and got lost. Having lost her way, she walked along quite a few forest paths until the sun began to hide in the dense crowns of trees. It was getting dark.
Jeannette was about to despair when a young and handsome horseman appeared right in front of her. He quickly picked her up, all in tears, onto his horse and galloped out of the forest.
All the way home, the girl pressed herself against the rider’s chest, fleeing from thoughts of the impending threat. Once at home, she kissed her savior deeply and for a long time could not stop her heartbeat from the surging feelings. A lot of time passed, but the image of the beautiful horseman did not leave the girl’s thoughts. Jeanette realized that she was looking forward to meeting him, her heart told her that she should see him again.
One morning a wedding procession passed through the village, people came out of the house into the street to greet the newlyweds. When Jeanette came closer, she saw her savior next to the happy bride. The girl’s heart could not stand it, burst and turned into a dicentra flower.