Bleeding Heart Plant Has White Fluff And Bumps On Leaves And Flowers Are Shriveling

Question From: A. Rousseau - Seattle, Washington, United States
Q: my bleeding heart plant, the flowers are starting to swivel up from the bottom of the spray to the top. There is a fine white fluffy stuff on some of the stems, not really attached but kind of floating in the air. One of the leaves has bumps on the back. It is in heavy clay soil and exposed to part sun and part shade. I'm not sure if I have an insect or a watering issue. The leaves are not yellowing, and I can't find anything about bleeding hearts that match what I'm seeing. There are no aphids or scale on the plant.

A: My guess is that the blooms are fading - they only last a short time. The fluffy stuff is fluff from cotton wood trees. The bumps on one leaf - who knows. Take a picture and the infected leaf to your independent garden center for an accurate ID. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy