Sanguinaria canadensis

Flower of Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)
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Sanguinaria canadensis

bloodroot

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Sanguinaria canadensis

bloodroot
  • Plant type and subtype:
    • Perennials
      • Groundcovers
      • Ephemerals
    • Groundcovers
      • Perennials
    • Hardiness Zone: 
    • 3,
    • 4,
    • 5,
    • 6,
    • 7,
    • 8
    • Light Requirements: 
    • shade,
    • part-shade
  • Height: 6"-12"
    • Leaf Color: 
    • green,
    • gray-green
    • Bloom Color: 
    • white
    • Bloom Time: 
    • Mar,
    • Apr,
    • May
    • Water Use: 
    • medium
    • Soil Moisture: 
    • moist,
    • wet
    • Soil Description: 
    • acid,
    • neutral,
    • alkaline,
    • rich,
    • loam,
    • sand,
    • clay
    • Additional Tags: 
    • colonizing,
    • ephemeral,
    • medicinal,
    • naturalizing,
    • ornamental foliage,
    • poisonous,
    • pond margin plant,
    • rock garden plant,
    • shade garden plant,
    • stream margin plant,
    • woodland garden plant
  • Description: 

    Bloodroot emerges in early spring as a single, vertical leaf, wrapped around a single flower bud. The solitary white flower appears before the large, deeply cleft, green-gray leaf has completely unfurled. When planted in masses, the foliage will provide an attractive, low growing (up to 12 inches), ephemeral groundcover through mid to late summer, at which point the plants will go dormant and die back.

  • Cultivation: 

    Native to rich woodlands and shaded stream margins, Sanguinaria canadensis will do well in a variety of moist, well drained soils, where it will rapidly form colonies. It can tolerate more sun in cooler climates. The attractive flowers open during the day and close at night. However, as with other members of the Poppy family, these blooms are short lived. An early spring bloomer; March through May. Zones 3-8

  • Propagation: 

    Propagate from seed, sowing immediately after collection, or by division in fall or early spring.

  • Additional Notes: 

    Bloodroot contains morphine-like alkaloids that can be highly toxic if ingested. The red sap, for which the genus is name "Sanguinaria", which means blood, was used as a dye by Native Americans. It can however harm the skin, therefore plants are best handled with gloves. Bloodroot has been used as a cure for skin cancer and other ailments, but its medicinal properties are still being evaluated.

Map of Native Range

  • Range by State: USDA data
  • Recorded County Distribution: USDA data

*The map of native range is based on the latest available USDA data.

There may be gaps in the county level distribution.

Native Range: 

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons
Subclass: Magnoliidae  
Order: Papaverales  
Family: Papaveraceae Poppy family
Genus: Sanguinaria bloodroot
Species: Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot
     
Synonyms:

USDA Endangered Status

N/A

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