Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis L.
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Scapose; from rhizomes; sap red.
- Leaves
- Leaf 1, simple; petiole 1.6 to 5.5 inches; blades reniform to nearly orbiculate, 2.4 to 8 inches long, 3 to 8 inches wide, glabrous, lower surface paler, margins 3-7-lobed, sometimes also crenate.
- Inflorescence
- Terminal, 1(-3)-flowered.
- Flower
- On leafless flowering stalk (scape) arising from ground, usually exceeding leaf; sepals 2, green, elliptic-ovate, .3 to .5 inch long, .2 to .3 inch wide; petals 6-12, unequal, white, oblanceolate or elliptic, .4 to 1.2 inch long, .2 to .5 inch wide; stamens 35-70.
- Fruit
- Capsules spindle-shaped, 2-valved, 1.2 to 2.4 inches long, .3 to .45 inch wide; seeds reddish brown, ovoid to subglobose, .12 to .15 inch.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Rich, maple-basswood, oak-hickory, and floodplain forests.
- Distribution
- East 1/3 of Kansas
Practical Information
- Uses
- When broken or bruised, the rhizome yields a bright red sap. Native Americans used this latex as face paint and to decorate baskets and mats; dyed articles by boiling them in water together with the rhizomes; and used the plant medicinally to treat fevers, diarrhea, ulcers, sores, burns, coughs, croup, and poison ivy.
Additional Notes
Comments
Bloodroot is among our first woodland wildflowers to bloom in the spring. The single leaf initially wraps around the flower buds protectively, but soon the bud shoots elongates, drops its 2 sepals, and the petals spread. The flowers close at night, reopening the following morning.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Papaveraceae - Poppy Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 2-4.7 inches
- Origin
- Native
- Last Updated
- 2014-01-11
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: March, April