by Jorg Breuning
As beautiful as the Greek name sounds, Dicentra eximia is relatively undiscovered by the Sedum-blinded Green Roof plants experts and by the yearning LEED point collectors. The beautiful flower is native Genus to Northeast United States and Asia that comes in many “faces” (Species and several cultivars).
This plant won’t survive in full sun but will thrive on moisture retaining partially or fully shaded roofs with in a FLL-certified green roof growing media with depths around 3-5 inches.
Leaves are finely divided and gray-green, growing from the base of the plant.
Flowers are pink and bloom in tight clusters at the top of leafless, fleshy stems above the leaves from mid-spring to autumn. The four petals are connected at the base. The two outer petals are pouched at the base and bent back at the tips. The inner petals are perpendicular to the outer petals and connected at the tip. The pistil is enclosed within the inner petals, and the two stamens are on either side. There are two tiny, triangular, pink sepals above the petals.
Seeds are borne in a plump, pointed pod. They ripen to black while the pod is still green. Each has a white elaiosome (Greek élaion "oil" and sóma "body") that is prized by ants.
Conclusion:
If the ants would have been a litter quicker in the last 150,000 years these plants would have spread over the entire North America already. However, with green roofs there is a chance to help nature along in this process.
