Minnesota Seasons - bloodroot

Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Biology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

Wetland Indicator Status

Great Plains

UPL - Obligate upland

Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland


	Description
	Bloodroot is an erect perennial that rises from thick reddish rhizomes with coarse fibrous roots. The rhizomes and the leaves contain an acrid red juice. The stem and leaves are sometimes covered with a whitish, waxy bloom. A single, large basal leaf rises on a leaf stalk from the ground wrapped around a solitary flowering stalk. The leaf is 4″ to 5″ wide, roughly circular in outline, divided into 3 to 9 lobes, and has a rubbery texture. The margins are wavy or coarsely blunt-toothed. The upper surface is light green, the lower surface whitish-green. The leaf gradually opens over the season, becoming fully open only after the flower withers. The inflorescence is a single, large flower at the top of a 2″ to 6″ long, leafless flowering stalk that rises from the ground. The flower is 1″ to 2⅓″ wide. It has 7 to 10 white petals, 4 of them usually evidently larger than the rest.

	Height
	3″ to 6″

	Flower Color
	White

	Similar Species
	No similar species


	Habitat
	Dry to moderate moisture. Rich woods, forests.


	Biology
	Flowering
	Usually April to May, however it has been seen as early as March and as late as July.

	Pests and Diseases



	Use


	Distribution
			Sources 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28, 29, 30.
	2/22/2023

	Nativity
	Native

	Occurrence
	Common


	Taxonomy
	Kingdom	Plantae (green algae and land plants)
	Subkingdom	Viridiplantae (green plants)
	Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)
	Superdivision	Embryophyta (land plants)
	Division	Tracheophyta (vascular plants)
	Subdivision	Spermatophytina (seed plants)
	Class	Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)
	Superorder	Ranunculanae
	Order	Ranunculales (buttercups, poppies, and allies)
	Family	Papaveraceae (poppy)
	Subfamily	Papaveroideae
	Tribe	Chelidonieae
	Genus	Sanguinaria (bloodroots)

	Subordinate Taxa


	Synonyms
	Sanguinaria australis Sanguinaria canadensis var. rotundifolia Sanguinaria dilleniana

	Common Names
	bloodwort red puccoon redroot tetterwort

Glossary

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.


	Visitor Photos

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			This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.


	Nancy Falkum



	Bloodroot blossom emerging from its leaf wrapping.



	Margot Avey

	…I shot this picture of blood root and after taking the photo discovered there was some kind of a spider or insect on it with wicked looking legs. Could you tell me what kind it is?


	Greg Watson




	Dan W. Andree

	Blooming Bloodroot.... The Bloodroot plants in the woodlands along a trail near Twin Valley, Mn. May 7, 2020


	Kirk Nelson

	Bloodroot growing in the woods on the north side of Crosby Lake




	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

	Flowering Plant






	Flower




	Late Season Leaves


	Infructescence

Camera


	Slideshows


	Sanguinaria canadensis Susanne Wiik

	About Bloodroot Blodrot



	Sanguinaria canadensis Zi W




	Bloodroot DianesDigitals

	About Copyright DianesDigitals



	Plant portrait - Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Identify that Plant

	About Published on Jul 7, 2013 A detailed look at one year in the life of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). These images can help to accurately identify the plant during different seasons of the year.

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) PrairieMoonNursery

	About Uploaded on Jan 15, 2010 http://www.prairiemoon.com - 2 early native spring ephemeral species are the Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis and the Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum). See them growing together at Prairie Moon Nursery on April 16th.



	MyNature Apps; Identifying Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis MyNatureApps

	About Uploaded on May 29, 2011 How to identify Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis also known as bloodwort, red puccoon root, pausonand tetterwort. www.mynatureapps.com



	09 Sanguinaria canadensis Séquence 11-Vivaces printanières 1.m4v Jeanfilm2

	About Uploaded on Jan 9, 2010 La Sanguinaire du Canada du printemps à l'automne. La Sanguinaria del Canada de la primavera hasta el otoño. Bloodroot from spring to fall.Лапчатка с весны до осени.



	Bloodroot -(Sanguinaria canadensis) A Rare and Endangered Old World Plant ReturntoNatureSkills

	About Published on Oct 19, 2013 This is a very controversial plant as a medicinal. Please be careful and aware. Its not recommended to use a black salve. be informed - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400297/considering-cancer-salves This ones scary - http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/eschar.html The single bloodroot leaf and flower each rise on a separate stem, and at first the leaf completely enwraps the flower bud. The clear, white, many-petaled blossom may open before the leaf has completely unwrapped. This fragile spring flower develops and rises from the center of its curled leaf, opening in full sun, and closing at night. Like most members of the Poppy Family, it lasts for a relatively short time. The red juice from the underground stem was used by Indians as a dye for baskets, clothing, and war paint, as well as for insect repellent. The generic name, from the Latin sanguinarius, means bleeding. Bloodroot is considered an At- Risk plant by the United plant savers. Please only harvest if you really need it and if there is an abundance at your chosen site. For more information on United Plant Savers visit www.unitedplantsavers.or



	Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) wvoutdoorman

	About Published on Apr 5, 2012 Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) in from sprouting to bloom and later stages

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

Report a sighting of this plant.
		This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location.



Nancy Falkum 5/6/2022	Location: Whitewater WMA, Main Branch Unit Bloodroot blossom emerging from its leaf wrapping.



Nancy Falkum 4/24/2022	Location: Whitewater WMA, Main Branch Unit



Margot Avey 5/10/2022	Location: Big Willow Park, Minnetonka, Minnesota I shot this picture of blood root and after taking the photo discovered there was some kind of a spider or insect on it with wicked looking legs. Could you tell me what kind it is?

John Valo 5/12/2022	It is a northern crab spider (Mecaphesa asperata).



Greg Watson 4/29/2022	Location: Vetsch Park



Dan W. Andree 5/7/2020	Location: Norman Co. Mn. The Bloodroot plants in the woodlands along a trail near Twin Valley, Mn. May 7, 2020



Kirk Nelson 4/20/2014	Location: Crosby Farm Regional Park Bloodroot growing in the woods on the north side of Crosby Lake



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