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Bloodroot

Sanguinaria canadensis (san-gwin-AR-ee-uh ka-na-DEN-sis)

Family: Papaveraceae Native Groundcover

Bright orange-red sap in the thick rootstock; found in moist, nutrient-rich forests or natural areas in rich woods; landscape in flower gardens as an herbaceous perennial. Perennial wildflower from a rhizome (underground, horizontal stem) with blood-red juice, leaf single, rounded in outline but with shallowly and palmately lobed margin, flower solitary, white with 6-18 petals, fruit an elongated capsule with a seed. There is a cultivar, 'Multiplex', that is double-flowered and does not produce a seed. This plant makes for good seasonal ground cover. Found in forests or natural areas in rich woods, landscape in flower gardens as a herbaceous perennial. Ants are known to eat and disperse the seeds of this plant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 40 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 5 - Groundcover
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Native Plant; Poisonous; Wildflower
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Palmasect
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
6", five to nine lobed leaf with blunt teeth, persists until mid-summer
Flower color
White
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1.5-2" bright white flowers, 8 to 12 petals. Two sepals fall away as flower opens. Flowers bloom March-April.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Green
Fruit detail
Fruits are green pods with brown seeds that become available April-May.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
USA, North Carolina
Attracts
Bees; Songbirds; Specialized Bees
Play value
Shade
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Spring

Uses (ethnobotany)

Red sap was used for dye for baskets, clothing, and war paint, as as an insect repellent.

Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Pollinator Garden
Garden tags
#poisonous #NC native #native wildflower #dye plant #spring interest #summer flowers #HS302 #piedmont mountains UPL #beetle friendly #fly friendly #food source pollen #bumblebee friendly #ants #food source soft mast fruit #coastal UPL #bird friendly #Audubon #partial shade tolerant #bee friendly #shade garden #white flowers #perennial #collier preserve tn #wildflower #HS304 #contact dermatitis #moth friendly
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Poisonous to Humans
Poison severity
High
Poison parts
Roots
Poison symptoms
Nausea, vomiting, faintness, dizziness, dilated pupils, fainting, diarrhea, heart failure
Toxic principle
Isoquinoline alkaloids
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
High severity poison; parts: Roots

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.