The Magic of Bloodroot

Even though I’ve gotten my first of two Covid shots, I’m still social distancing, so I like taking time to get out into the woods near my home. It’s springtime here in Middle Earth, and with the heavy rains we’ve had, a lot of stuff is beginning to sprout and bloom. Last year around this time, I was out foraging near a limestone outcropping, and encountered what I initially thought was mayapple… except mayapple shouldn’t be surfacing for a few more weeks here. A friend pointed out that it was probably bloodroot (thanks, Lisa!), and I realized she was correct. It’s one of those lesser-known flowers that doesn’t get a lot of press time, but if you spend any time off-trail, especially here in Ohio, you’ll probably encounter it.

I like bloodroot, also called sanguinaria canadensis, for a few different reasons. First of all, it’s pretty, but also because it’s got some neat history. Although the flower is considered toxic, it’s had various medicinal uses in the past, before the FDA decided it might be a bad idea.

Many of the indigenous groups here in the Midwest used it to create poultices and salves, which were used to treat all kinds of ailments like gangrene, rheumatism, polyps, and various skin conditions. It’s recently been investigated as a potential treatment for cancer as well, although I don’t know the specifics of how that works. Bloodroot is also an abortifacient.

They also used the red dye extracted from bloodroot—which is where the name comes from—to color clothing and baskets. Colonists in the area used it for the dye as well.

From a folkloric standpoint—and this is the part I really love—it’s got a few cool uses, primarily associated with both protection and love. There’s a Cherokee legend that says if you carry a small piece of the root, it will ward off evil spirits. Among the Ponca tribe, it was believed that if you rubbed the plant against your palm and then held the hand of your beloved, they’d be yours within the week. I’m not sure I’d recommend this, as bloodroot sap has been known to cause skin irritations in some people, but it’s still a cool idea.

Because bloodroot is on the United Plant Savers “At Risk” category, I didn’t harvest any—I’ll just leave it be and admire it from afar. Sustainable cultivation is important for at-risk plants, but much of the bloodroot sold commercially has been wild harvested. To grow your own, stick it in a shady garden space, or under some hardwood trees in your yard.

Want to dive deeper into the world of plant magic and folklore? Check out my book Herb Magic for a list of 40 of the most popular magical herbs, and 75 brand new herbal spells for wealth, love, healing, and prosperity.

Learn more about bloodroot here:

• National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Sanguinarine, CID=5154.
• Predny, Mary and James Chamberlain. Bloodroot: An Annotated Bibliography.
• Sturdivant, L. and T . Blakley. 1999. Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field, and Marketplace. San Juan Naturals. Friday Harbor, WA.