Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
Although it's common name is derived from its blood-red roots, Sanguinaria canadensis is most well known for its showy white flowers that signal spring. You'll find the plant poking up through leaf litter on shady woodland hillsides. Bloodroot's brilliant blooming period only lasts a few weeks and the flowers close at night and on cloudy days.
Once pollinated, bloodroot flowers fall within a couple of days. Bloodroot is pollinated by bees, but can be self-pollinated as well.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Once pollinated, bloodroot flowers fall within a couple of days. Bloodroot is pollinated by bees, but can be self-pollinated as well.
Identification
Variable, but most plants have 5-9 deeply scalloped lobes.
Flowers are white with 7-20 petals and a yellow center.
Grows 6-15 inches tall with leaves reaching 9 inches across
Roots are a distinctive blood-red color.
Life cycle
Flowers bloom in the spring and the seed-pod fruits develop April - May. The foliage dies before the first frost in fall and grows back in the spring.
Did you know?
Bloodroot relies on ants to disperse its seeds. Ants will carry the seeds to their nests to eat the elaiosome, a fatty protrusion that resembles a grub. After this, they will leave the seed, therefore providing it with an ideal place to sprout. Unfortunately, invasive ants such as fire ants are disrupting this process, as they often damage the seed or don’t leave them in places that are conducive to germination.
WARNING
Bloodroot is poisonous to humans and animals in high dosage. Please leave bloodroot undisturbed.