Bloodroot

BY: Elizabeth Noll

Don’t pretend you don’t watch your neighbors’ spring gardens almost as eagerly as you watch your own. And when Mr. Neighbor’s carpet of bloodroot unfurls elegantly under the magnolia, it sends a streak of jealousy through your veins. Understandable. This spring ephemeral is gorgeous from beginning to end: from the appearance of a single gray-green leaf wrapped like a cape around a solitary flower spear, to the bright white petals of the open flowers, to the carpet of wide palmate leaves that remains long after the blooms close. It’s beautiful and it’s not yours. Maybe that’s really what spring is all about.

Common name: Bloodroot, red puccoon
Botanical name: Sanguinaria canadensis
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 3 to 9
Height: 4 to 10 inches
Family: Papaveraceae

Growing conditions
• Sun: Part to full shade
• Soil: Well-drained, rich
• Moisture: Average to moist

Care
• Mulch: Mulch to preserve moisture in the soil.
• Pruning: None needed.
• Fertilizer: None needed.

Propagation
• By seed or by division.

Pests and diseases
• Susceptible to leaf spot.
• No serious pest problems.

Garden notes
• Like most spring ephemerals, bloodroot loves a spot under a deciduous tree, where it gets lots of sunlight in very early spring. By the time the tree has fully leafed out, the flowers are in decline or gone. Bloodroot blooms for about one month. After the flowers disappear, the striking foliage continues to grow. About midsummer, it too disappears.
• Good companions are other spring ephemerals, such as spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) and trillium (Trillium spp.).
• Under the right conditions, bloodroot will slowly naturalize.
• The rhizomes and other parts of bloodroot emit an orange-red sap, hence the name. The sap has been used as a dye. The root is considered poisonous but also has medicinal uses.

Cultivars
• ‘Flore Pleno’ has long-lasting double blossoms. Also sold as ‘Multiplex’ and ‘Plena’.

All in the family
• Bloodroot is the only species in the genus Sanguinaria.
• Papaveraceae is also known as the poppy family. Other members of this family include the California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica), the Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale), and the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).

Where to buy
• Arrowhead Alpines, Fowlerville, MI, 517-223-3581, www.arrowheadalpines.com
• Companion Plants, Athens, OH, 740-592-4643, www.companionplants.com
• Lone Willow Farm, Spencer, WV, 304-927-2115, www.lwfperennials.com

(Text by Elizabeth Noll, photo of Sanguinaria canadensis by Tracy Walsh)

Comments

By beers604 Saturday, March 19, 2011 11:21 AM

Love, love, love this flower. Native to NY woodlands, it brings back wonderful childhood memories of when I would go for walks in the woods behind my home where I grew up. I called it "Blood Flower" after I tried to pick one for my mom and it "bled" on my fingers. I will some day try to introduce this lovely little spring announcer to my properties woods where I live now with my hubby and kids! It's just a happy little flower...but not one to be picked.

By jmusser Tuesday, March 06, 2012 8:37 PM

That's what that is! I see that sometimes growing along the road

By England Saturday, March 10, 2012 9:58 AM

Bloodroot is easy to grow from seed. Collect seed from wild plants and sow immediately after collecting it under a thin layer of mulch.

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Current Articles \| Archives \| Search Bloodroot Plant of the Week BY: Elizabeth Noll 3 Don’t pretend you don’t watch your neighbors’ spring gardens almost as eagerly as you watch your own. And when Mr. Neighbor’s carpet of bloodroot unfurls elegantly under the magnolia, it sends a streak of jealousy through your veins. Understandable. This spring ephemeral is gorgeous from beginning to end: from the appearance of a single gray-green leaf wrapped like a cape around a solitary flower spear, to the bright white petals of the open flowers, to the carpet of wide palmate leaves that remains long after the blooms close. It’s beautiful and it’s not yours. Maybe that’s really what spring is all about. Common name: Bloodroot, red puccoon Botanical name: Sanguinaria canadensis Plant type: Perennial Zones: 3 to 9 Height: 4 to 10 inches Family: Papaveraceae Growing conditions • Sun: Part to full shade • Soil: Well-drained, rich • Moisture: Average to moist Care • Mulch: Mulch to preserve moisture in the soil. • Pruning: None needed. • Fertilizer: None needed. Propagation • By seed or by division. Pests and diseases • Susceptible to leaf spot. • No serious pest problems. Garden notes • Like most spring ephemerals, bloodroot loves a spot under a deciduous tree, where it gets lots of sunlight in very early spring. By the time the tree has fully leafed out, the flowers are in decline or gone. Bloodroot blooms for about one month. After the flowers disappear, the striking foliage continues to grow. About midsummer, it too disappears. • Good companions are other spring ephemerals, such as spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) and trillium (Trillium spp.). • Under the right conditions, bloodroot will slowly naturalize. • The rhizomes and other parts of bloodroot emit an orange-red sap, hence the name. The sap has been used as a dye. The root is considered poisonous but also has medicinal uses. Cultivars • ‘Flore Pleno’ has long-lasting double blossoms. Also sold as ‘Multiplex’ and ‘Plena’. All in the family • Bloodroot is the only species in the genus Sanguinaria. • Papaveraceae is also known as the poppy family. Other members of this family include the California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica), the Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale), and the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Where to buy • Arrowhead Alpines, Fowlerville, MI, 517-223-3581, www.arrowheadalpines.com • Companion Plants, Athens, OH, 740-592-4643, www.companionplants.com • Lone Willow Farm, Spencer, WV, 304-927-2115, www.lwfperennials.com (Text by Elizabeth Noll, photo of Sanguinaria canadensis by Tracy Walsh) Comments By beers604 Saturday, March 19, 2011 11:21 AM Love, love, love this flower. Native to NY woodlands, it brings back wonderful childhood memories of when I would go for walks in the woods behind my home where I grew up. I called it "Blood Flower" after I tried to pick one for my mom and it "bled" on my fingers. I will some day try to introduce this lovely little spring announcer to my properties woods where I live now with my hubby and kids! It's just a happy little flower...but not one to be picked. By jmusser Tuesday, March 06, 2012 8:37 PM That's what that is! I see that sometimes growing along the road By England Saturday, March 10, 2012 9:58 AM Bloodroot is easy to grow from seed. Collect seed from wild plants and sow immediately after collecting it under a thin layer of mulch. Post Comment Only registered users may post comments.