Plant to 45 cm tall, rhizomatous. Leaves 20-50 cm long, twice divided into 3, waxy blue on both surfaces or lower surface only. Flowers in clusters of 4 or more, pendulous. Petals 14-18 mm long; spring. Fruit 14-20 mm long, conical.

W North America

subsp. formosa  Tufted ferny leaved clump with rhizomatous rootstock. Leaves with long stalks, strongly waxy blue below. Flowers in branched clusters, rosy mauve to 2 cm long. The subspecies is waxy blue on lower leaf surface only.

subsp. oregona (Eastw.) Munz [D. oregona Eastw.] Oregon Bleeding Heart

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Fumariaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.