Sanguinaria canadensis

Product Info

Blood Root (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Poppy Family

One of the first flowers to push through the leaf litter in late winter, blood root’s bright white flowers stand out in the stark winter landscape. Each flower only lasts for a few days, but the leaves of Bloodroot are just as beautiful and will stick around through mid-summer and sometimes into early fall if adequate moisture is present. Lobed, blue-green leaves start out 2-3” but gradually grow larger through the season and can become up to 10” across. This wildflower will soak up plenty of sun before the trees leaf out, and after that will be happy with what filters through the canopy. Prefers rich soil that is moist but well drained. It grows at a nice rate and will form small colonies over time. Seeds are ant dispersed, so you may find volunteer plants in all sorts of fun places. Bloodroot is named after the bright red sap that seeps from the root if wounded.

Blooms: White, 1-2 weeks, Feb-March
Leaves: Sage green, bluish-green, lobed, leaves die back by mid-late summer
Height:6-10”
Space: 12”
Soil: Average-Moist, organic soil with lots of leaf litter
Exposure: Shade-Part shade
Fauna: Mostly bees, some flies and beetles
Seeds: Ant distributed, can take 5-7 years from seed to flower
Deer Resistance: High
Zone: 3-9
Native Status: NC native, common in the Piedmont and Mountains, uncommon in the Coastal Plain
Provenance: North Carolina ecotype, asexually propagated