Bloodroot Flowers (Click image to enlarge) 
Bloodroot Leaf (Click image to enlarge) 
Bloodroot Seed Pod (Click image to enlarge) |
Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot is a springtime wildflower and member of the Poppy family. Typically found in moist woods, this flower does not last long - only a few days. The flower is on a stalk that rises up between the lobes of a much larger and longer-lasting single leaf (left, middle). The stalk is later topped by an oblong seed pod, sometimes up to a couple of inches long. The seed pod slowly ripens and expands over the course of about a month before bursting open and scattering the seeds (left, below). The name derives from the reddish liquid found in the roots. Though toxic, the liquid was used for a variety of purposes by Native Americans. Photographed in central Indiana. |
