Blood Root Perennials are Spring Blooming Favorites
Blood root (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a herbaceous perennial plant native to eastern North America. It grows 6 to 10 inches tall and spreads to form small colonies over time. The plant gets its common name from the bright red-orange sap that oozes from its stem and root when cut or broken.
Indians Used Blood Root Juice For War Paint
The leaves are lobed and palmate, resembling a hand with outstretched fingers. The leaves emerge in early spring and form a basal rosette that lasts until the flowers appear. The white flowers appear on separate stems that rise above the leaves in early spring. Each flower has eight to twelve petals and a central yellow stamen.
Blood root prefers moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade. It can be grown in woodland gardens or naturalized in a shady border. The plant is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and is considered an early spring temporary, meaning it dies after blooming and goes dormant until the following year.
Bloodroot is also valued for its medicinal properties, particularly as an anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal agent.
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