Bloodroot displays flowers that look like white pearls among the leaflitter. Unfortunately, these little gems are somewhat fragile. Rain and wind will drop petals. This could be one of those plants that you may simply miss if you are not looking for it. Despite the short lived nature of the flowers, and the extremely early bloom time, this plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and even birds. Native Americans used the red juice from the underground stem as a dye for baskets, clothing, and war paint, as well as for insect repellent. The plant is used in homeopathy today. This plant is not edible – it is mildly poisonous when ingested.
This was the best looking specimen I could photograph. The flowers had just emerged the day before, but heavy rains did a job on them almost immediately
| Scientific name: | Sanguinaria canadensis |
| Common name: | bloodroot |
| Other name: | N/A |
| Bloom time: | Late winter, early spring |
| Color: | white |
| Light requirements: | partial shade to full shade |
| Zone: | 4 to 9 |
| Soil: | mildly acidic to mildly alkaline |
| Water: | average water needs |
| Origin: | eastern North America |
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