Hello, spring! Bloodroot is one of the first of the native wildflowers to bloom just after the final thaw, poking up from the ground and revealing large white petals cradling a cheery, yellow center.
The daily-like flowers are big--about 2 inches in diameter--and open when it's light out and close again at night.
These flowers are among the first of the native perennials to emerge in spring and appear cloaked in a single, basal leaf.
The leaf itself is part of the plant's charm: it's big, about 6 inches in diameter, deeply lobed and puckered. It unfurls as the flower fades, covering bare spots and creating a carpet of green all summer and into fall.
A little fertilizer in spring can be helpful, but avoid heavy mulch. Bloodroot will cover a broad area after several seasons and is perfect in shady spots including moist woodlands, shady slopes and floodplains.
Fun fact: Bloodroot refers to the bright, reddish-orange sap that appears when any part of the plant is cut. Native Americans used the sap for color. :)
Bloodroot
- Latin: Sanguinaria canadensis
- Pollinator value: High
- Height: 6-8 inches; 6-inch spread
- Light: Part to full shade
- Soil: Moist, well drained
- Bloom: White, early spring
- Foliage: Deciduous, deeply lobed, grayish green
- Landscape: Spreads over time; ground cover, woodland garden
- Resistance: Drought, Black Walnut
- Native range here