This page features plants native to Minnesota.
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Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
is a wildflower native to North America. It's name is derived from the red-orange sap that runs freely from the stem and rhizome root when cut.
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| This photo is from a Google Image Search. |
Bloodroot grows in moist or dry woods and thickets, usually on the shores of a pond or a stream. The plants are widely dotted in an area about 10 x 10 feet. This is common for this little flower, as the rhizomes spread to form a nice little colony.
The flowers bloom between March and May, and are a bright, clear white. The leaves are initially curled around the flower stem, making it appear like the flower is coming out of a cocoon. The flowers are quickly pollinated so the bloom time is short.
Once done blooming, the leaves unfold completely. The leaves are a unique, heavily lobed oval and will lie parallel to the ground in shadier locations. Bloodroot will go dormant in summer, so they are what is called a spring ephemeral.
