Bloodroot
(Sanguinaria canadensis L.)

botanical information

Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis L., member of the Papaveraceae family, is an early spring wildflower found in rich woodlands of North America from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Alabama, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Manitoba.  It is native to North America and is a perennial that grows at a rate of two-to-three inches a year to a mature height of about ten inches.  It can grow in full sun but prefers semi-shaded, lightly wooded areas with moist, acidic soil.  The plant has a single, basal leaf with deep lobes that can spread as wide as eight inches.  A solitary flower, located on a separate stalk, is white with a yellow center.  Bloodroot is one of the first flowers to bloom beginning in late winter and continuing into early spring.  The root, known for its reddish-orange color, is typically harvested in autumn, six or more years from seed.  It must be stored in a low humidity environment, or it will quickly deteriorate and lose its medicinal value.

medicinal uses

Bloodroot was a traditional medicine used by American Indians to treat fever and rheumatism.  Other uses included treatment of ulcers, ringworm, skin infections, and for producing dyes in red, orange, and pink.  Modern medicine has found uses for bloodroot as an anti-cancer agent, particularly for the treatment of skin cancer, and as a dissolving agent for skin growths such as warts.  It has enjoyed some commercial success in toothpaste and mouthwash as an anti-plaque agent.  Berberine, an active constituent of bloodroot, is showing promise in fighting brain tumors and many other cancers.

selecting a planting site

Since bloodroot is indigenous to North Carolina, choosing a site where populations are already present would be ideal.  Bloodroot prefers a rich moist soil that is well drained with high organic matter.  Moisture is important throughout the growing season.  In its natural habitat, it is usually found in deep shade or open woodland areas.  Bloodroot does well in a woods cultivated or artificial shade environment.  Select an area with a humus-type soil and a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. 

If an open field is used for production, shade structures should be erected.  Typically, a wood lath structure or polypropylene shade structure is used.  For forest culture, select a site with good air and water drainage in an area shaded by tall, preferably hardwood trees.  Look for an area where other compatible woodland plants grow such as Jack-in-the-pulpit, mayapple, trillium, wild ginger, or a native stand of bloodroot.

planting

Bloodroot seed is not commercially available, and rootstock is very expensive.  With little information available on large-scale production, cultivation has mainly taken place on small specialty plots.  Propagation is typically done through seed or root division.  Bloodroot is more easily propagated by dividing the rhizomes in spring or in fall.  Seed can be directly sown into the ground, but the rhizome divisions allow for a faster harvestable plant.  

To plant rhizomes, cut the roots into vertical sections, two inches in length, making sure there is at least one bud attached. There can be up to twelve buds on a rhizome of one bloodroot plant.  In a well-prepared three-foot wide bed, plant rhizome pieces deep enough to cover the top of the rhizome with one to two inches of soil (usually around four inches deep).  Any fibrous roots connected to the rhizome pieces can remain attached.  Stagger plantings six inches apart, making sure the bud is pointed upright when placing the rhizome pieces in the ground.  Mulch beds with at least three inches of shredded hardwood mulch or leaf mulch.  Add mulch as needed throughout the growing seasons and supply adequate moisture.  While bloodroot does not like a soggy soil, irrigation should be provided during dry periods.  Plants should be ready to harvest four to five years after planting.

 Bloodroot seed matures mid to late spring.  Oblong seedpods house the developing seeds, and when ready, the pods open and seeds spring out.  If the seeds are not collected, young seedlings will sprout around the mother plant, usually the following spring.  To collect bloodroot seed, pouches can be made out of cheesecloth or nylon mesh to cover the young seedpods before they spring open.  The pouch is fitted over the immature pod, and tied loosely around the stalk.  When the seedpod opens, the seeds can spring out, but are captured, instead of scattering to the ground. 

With seedbeds prepared, plant the fresh seeds one to two inches apart, approximately one-quarter inch deep.  Never allow the fresh seed to dry out.  Cover with a two-inch layer of leaf mulch and keep moist.  Germination should occur the following year but most seeds may not emerge until the second spring.  Once the plants have developed small rhizomes, transplant into regular planting beds (usually after two years), according to Richo Cech, author of Growing At-Risk Medicinal Plants.  Harvesting of the root, usually, can begin six years after seeding.  Research is currently being conducted on seed germination studies for bloodroot, and as new information becomes available, this publication will be updated.  

insects and diseases

Slugs can become a serious pest problem in damp seasons and wet soils.  Other animals that forage on bloodroot include deer, groundhogs, and turkey.   

Diseases that have attacked bloodroot include Alternaria leaf blight and Botrytis.  Other leaf spots listed in Index of Plant Diseases in the United States include Cercospora sanguinariae, Cylindrosporium circinans, Gloeosporium sanguinariae, and Phyllosticta sanguinariae.  As mentioned earlier, if the soil is soggy, it could cause roots to deteriorate, thus allowing potential root diseases to develop.  Pythium paroecandrum has been known to infect bloodroot.

harvesting, cleaning, and drying

Most bloodroot is harvested in the fall, with some harvested and sold in spring.  If harvesting in fall, more than likely the leaves have died back, making it difficult to know where the plants are unless the beds are clearly marked.  The use of a spade fork is ideal for hand digging.  For larger scale operations, a ginseng digger or potato digger can be used.  Great care should be taken not to damage the roots.   

 Shake the roots free of dirt and carefully remove only roots that are bloodroot.  It is not acceptable to include foreign particles.  Protect from the sun and heat; do not allow the roots to dry out.  Bloodroot is very susceptible to mold and should be processed as soon as possible.  Wash the roots with a pressure hose or garden hose, taking great care to protect the roots from any damage as they are cleaned.  All particles of dirt must be removed. 

Once the roots are cleaned, dry in a warm place with adequate airflow.  If a drying unit is not available, a dehydrator, converted greenhouse, or converted rooms in a barn are areas that could be used for drying.  Dry roots at 95⁰F, with high airflow, for approximately four to seven days.  Check roots regularly for mold or deterioration.  If roots break without bending, drying time should be sufficient.  Make sure the larger roots are dried thoroughly.  Bloodroot will dry down to approximately twenty five percent of its fresh weight.  When the roots are completely dry, package in burlap sacks, cardboard barrels, or cardboard boxes, and store in a cool, dark, dry location.  Protect from rodents and insects.  Dried roots can be stored for two years.  Yield estimates after four growing seasons average 1460 pounds per acre.

markets  

Most of the worldwide harvest comes from wild-harvested sources.  Bloodroot is wild-harvested in North America by small producers located throughout its natural range, mostly along the Appalachian range. 

 Unlike many other botanicals, much of the current demand for bloodroot is coming from agriculture.  The Commission of European Communities has stipulated that all synthetic antibiotic compounds incorporated into livestock feed as a way to fatten cattle must be removed by the end of 2005.  This action was taken in response to scientific evidence that these synthetic antibiotics are transmitted to humans via meat consumption and make humans more resistant to certain drugs.  Bloodroot is presently being considered as an alternative ingredient to synthetic antibiotics in cattle feeds.   

 The majority of this material, whether used for animal or human consumption, is sold to European and Asian companies for processing.  Additional buyers are those using the plant for landscaping, gardening and other ornamental purposes.  Nurseries in North Carolina are already producing bloodroot for the landscaping industry. 

 If interest continues to increase for agricultural uses, more pressure will be placed on native populations.  Cultivation is to be encouraged, as decline in heavily harvested natural areas has already been observed.  Native populations will then be able to regenerate and multiply.            

The North Carolina Arboretum is grateful to Jackie Greenfield and Jeanine M. Davis for their contributions to this publication, including excerpts from their publication “Medicinal Herb Production Guides”.

Cech, Richo. 2002. Growing At-Risk Medicinal Plants. Horizon Herbs. Williams, Oregon. 314 pp. 

Greenfield, Jackie, and Jeanine M. Davis. 2004. Medicinal herb production guides. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 

Greenfield, Jackie, and Jeanine M. Davis. 2003. Collection to commerce: western North Carolina non-timber forest products and their markets. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 106 pp.  

Persons, W. Scott, and Jeanine M. Davis. 2004. Green Gold: A Grower’s Guide to the Profitable Production of Ginseng, Goldenseal, Ramps, Black Cohosh, Bloodroot, and Other Woodland Medicinal Plants. Bright Mountain Books. Asheville, NC. To be published.

 Strategic Reports. 2002. Analysis of the economic viability of cultivating selected botanicals in North Carolina. A report commissioned for the North Carolina Consortium on Natural Medicinal Products by North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 244 pp.

 Sturdivant, Lee, and Tim Blakley. 1999. Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field, and Marketplace. San Juan Naturals. Friday Harbor, Washington. 323 pp.

 US Department of Agriculture, Crops Research Division Agricultural Research Service. 1960. Index of Plant Diseases in the United States, Agriculture Handbook No. 165. Washington, DC. 531pp.

The North Carolina Arboretum is grateful to Jackie Greenfield and Jeanine M. Davis for their contributions to this publication, including excerpts from their publication “Medicinal Herb Production Guides”. The Arboretum also wishes to thank Richard Rice for his artistic renditions of the herbs. The Superb Herbs Web site and the documents provided were made possible by a grant from the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, found on the Web at www.ncagr.com.