Bloodroot

Plant of the Week  April 17, 2023

Bloodroot/Double Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadesis)
by Nyle Zikmund, Anoka County Master Gardener

Spectacular! Stunning! Brilliant! Breathtaking! Fantastic! Few spring ephemerals (none in this author's opinion) can hold a candle to the brilliant white flower of a bloodroot or double bloodroot plant. The singular downside to this gem is the bloom time is seldom more than a week. Plan your vacations wisely. 

These hardy plants grow in shade to part shade and in moist but well-drained soil. For true shade gardeners, the unique leaf is better than the flower. The leaf is an irregular shape. Its height from the ground nestles nicely around rocks or irregular landscape terrain. The deep unique green color can serve as a centerpiece of your shade garden.  Bloodroot is a bit more expensive than most perennials, but once established it reproduces readily and is easy to divide. The photo to the left is year three of a single tuber divided once: six plants from one.  Use garden gloves when transplanting or handling since the tuber secretions are irritant.

For more enjoyment, divide and plant in various areas where sun exposure differs. Done correctly with proper spacing, you can achieve a bloom on one or more of your plants for up to one month. The double bloodroots seem to bloom about a week after the single.

Links

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=284854https://

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/bloodroot