Bloodroot is spring perennial native to the East Coast of North America. Bloodroot is the only species in the genus Sanguinaria, which is included in the poppy family. Bloodroot is most closely related to Eomecon of eastern Asia. Bloodroot plants are variable in leaf and flower shape and have in the past been separated out as different subspecies due to these variable shapes. Currently most taxonomic treatments include these different forms in one highly variable species. The sap from the bloodroot plant is a vibrant orange red colour and is poisonous. The latin name 'sanguinaria' is derived from the latin word 'sanguinarious' which means to bleed. The species name 'Canadensis' translates to of Canada in reference to the abundance of the plant in Canada.

Bloodroot is generally used as a spring ornamental plant. Commercial uses of sanguinarine and bloodroot extract include dental hygiene products.

Within the realm of rational and holistic medicine, Bloodroot was a traditional remedy of native North Americans who used it to treat fevers and rheumatism, to induce vomiting and as an element in divination. In modern herbal use it is chiefly employed as an expectorant, promoting coughing and the clearing of mucus from the respiratory tract. The root is used locally as an anesthetic, or sedative tonic. Bloodroot is taken internally in the treatment of bronchial, respiratory tract and throat infections, and poor peripheral circulation. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of skin diseases, warts, nasal polyps, benign skin tumours, sore throats and chilblains. An infusion of the root or the sap of the fresh root is used. The root can be harvested in the autumn, dried and stored for later use. It should not be allowed to become damp since it will then deteriorate. Sanguinarine, which is obtained from the root, is used as a dental plaque inhibitor. The root is used to make a homeopathic remedy that is used to treat migraine. The US FDA has approved the inclusion of one of the active constituents, sanguinarine, in toothpaste as an antibacterial and anti plaque agent. A red dye is obtained from the sap of the root and was used as a face paint by North American natives. The crushed root has also been applied to the body as an insect repellent.

Please note that MIROFOSS does not suggest in any way that plants should be used in place of proper medical and psychological care. This information is provided here as a reference only.

Bloodroot is considered to be toxic and should not be used as a food source.

Bloodroot can grow in light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acidic soils. Bloodroot can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Soil Conditions
Soil Moisture
Sunlight
Notes:

Bloodroot grows from 5cm to 15cm tall with one large basal palmately scalloped leaf up to 12cm across, with five to nine lobes. The leaves and flowers sprout from a reddish rhizome with bright orange sap that grows at or slightly below the soil surface. The rhizomes grow longer each year, and branch to form colonies. Plants start to bloom before the foliage unfolds in early spring. After blooming the leaves expand to their full size and go summer dormant in mid to late summer. The flowers bloom from March to May depending on the region and weather. They have 8 to 12 delicate white petals and yellow stamens, and two sepals below the petals, which fall off after the flowers open. The flower stems are clasped by the leaves. The flowers are pollinated by small bees and flies. Seeds develop in green pods which are 40mm to 60mm long, and ripen before the foliage goes dormant. The seeds are round and black to orange-red when ripe, and have white elaiosomes, which are eaten by ants.

Other than in the basic natural form, bloodroot can be found in one distinct variety:

Double Bloodroot

Plant Height	5cm to 15cm
Habitat	Rich woodlands and close to streams
Leaves	Palmately scalloped into five to nine lobes
Leaf Margin	Lobate
Leaf Venation	Reticulate
Stems	Smooth Stems
Flowering Season	March to May
Flower Type	Radially Symmetrical
Flower Colour	White
Pollination	Bees, Insects
Flower Gender	Flowers are hermaphrodite and the plants are self-fertile
Fruit	Hard oval seeds
USDA Zone	4B (-28°C to -31°C) cold weather limit

The following health hazards should be noted when handling or choosing a location to plant bloodroot:

TOXIC Bloodroot contains many alkaloids and is poisonous in large doses. Bloodroot should not be used by women when they are pregnant or lactating. The sap, fresh or dried, can cause intense irritation to the mucous membranes.

-Click here- or on the thumbnail image to see an artist rendering, from The United States Department of Agriculture, of bloodroot. (This image will open in a new browser tab)

-Click here- or on the thumbnail image to see a magnified view, from Minnesota Wildflowers, of the seeds created by bloodroot for propagation. (This image will open in a new browser tab)

Bloodroot can be referenced in certain current and historical texts under the following five names: Bloodwort Redroot Red Puccoon Pauson Tetterwort Bloodroot can be translated into the following select languages:
Arabic		Bulgarian		Chinese (Sim)
Croatian		Czech		Danish
Dutch		Esperanto		Estonian	kevadmagun
Finnish		French		German	Blutwurz
Greek		Hebrew		Hungarian
Italian	Sanguinaria	Japanese	赤根草	Korean
Punjabi		Lithuanian		Norwegian
Persian		Polish		Portuguese
Romanian		Russian	лапчатка	Slovak
Spanish	sanguinaria	Swedish	blodrot	Tagalog
Turkish	bahar güzelliği	Ukrainian	перстач	Vietnamese

The information provided in this conservation assessment has been provided by the Natureserve Database in conjunction with various federal, provincial, state, county, district, regional, and municipal governments as well as public and private conservation authorities. Information in this section is accurate from the last time this article was updated.
	Bloodroot is considered to be a secure native species in North America.

The MIROFOSS database offers free printable garden tags for personal and non-profit use. These tags can be used to properly identify plant samples in a garden. Click on the tags shown on the the screen or -click here- to download a full size jpeg image for a bloodroot identification tag; which can be printed on paper or used with a plastic laser printer.

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Description	Brumback, W.E., and L. J. Mehrhoff. 1996. Flora Conservanda: New England. The New England Plant Conservation Program list of plants in need of conservation. Rhodora 98 (895): 235-361.
Description	Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Commerical Uses	Bouquot, Brad W. Neville , Douglas D. Damm, Carl M. Allen, Jerry E. (2002). Oral & maxillofacial pathology (2. ed.). Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. p. 338. ISBN 0721690033.
Folklore	MacKinnon, Kershaw, Arnason, Owen, Karst, Hamersley, Chambers. 2009. Edible & Medicinal Plants Of Canada ISBN 978-1-55105-572-5
Image Rendering	USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Environment	National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
Physical Identification	National Audubon Society. Field Guide To Wildflowers (Eastern Region): Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-375-40232-2
October 01, 2015	The last time this page was updated
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