Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
- Plant Type
- Forb (Deciduous)
- Landscape Layer
- Ground Cover
- Spring Ephemeral
- Yes
- Sun
- ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
- Moisture
- 🏜️ Dry, 💧 Regular
- Soil
- Loam, Sand, Silt, Calcareous
- Bloom
- April, May
- Sociability
- S3 – Small colonies
Pollinator Value
- 🐛 Larval Host
LLM: none verified in Eastern NA
- ❄️ Winter Food Source
- Seeds consumed by Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). Seeds have fleshy elaiosomes adapted for ant dispersal, which may persist on the forest floor into early winter before being collected.
S57 Rose-breasted Grosbeak; S44 elaiosome; S10 seed distributed by ants
Ecology & Conservation
- Proximity Score
- 0
- Native Status
- ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
- Closest Direction
- Local
- CEC Eco-Regions
- 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
- Rarity Notes
- Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in both Canada and the United States (N5). Ranked S5 in Ontario and S4 in Quebec. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Common throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region with 1156 GBIF observations and 26 preserved specimens in the Gatineau bounding box.
- Rarity Ranks
- QC S4 – Apparently Secure, ON S5 – Secure
- Migration
- Stable
- Ecological Context
- Characteristic spring ephemeral of rich mesic deciduous forests and floodplain woods throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Typically found in sugar maple-beech-basswood associations on fertile loamy soils. Spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies on wooded slopes, shaded ravines, and along woodland trails. Ant-dispersed seeds with elaiosomes facilitate colonization of suitable microsites.
S10 rich deciduous woodlands; S7 rich deciduous forests and floodplain forests; S4 Rich deciduous upland & floodplain woods; S44 ant-dispersed with elaiosome; S62 Common in Ottawa
Permaculture & Companion Planting
- Roles
- Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 19 bee associations (threshold=3)]
- Notes
- Excellent woodland guild component that thrives in dappled shade under deciduous canopy. Tolerates juglone, making it suitable for planting under or near black walnut. Pairs naturally with sugar maple-beech overstory. Deer and rabbit resistant, providing a reliable ground layer in high browse-pressure sites. Seeds dispersed by ants.
S3 juglone tolerant, deer/rabbit resistant; S7 sugar maple-beech associations; S4 seeds dispersed by ants
Medicinal Properties ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
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ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →- Category
- Expectorant, Emetic, Febrifuge, Analgesic, Cathartic, Sedative, Stimulant, Tonic, Dermatological Aid, Diuretic
- Notes
- Extensively used in Indigenous medicine across eastern North America. Algonquin of Quebec chewed root for heart trouble and used rhizomes as a tonic. Cherokee used root decoction for coughs and lung inflammations. Iroquois took root infusion for internal pain. Modern herbalism employs root as expectorant for bronchial and respiratory infections. Sanguinarine is used as dental plaque inhibitor approved by US FDA. Root contains isoquinoline alkaloids including sanguinarine (6000-60000 ppm) and berberine. Health Canada lists as homeopathic substance (minimum potency 12CH).
S28 Algonquin/Cherokee/Iroquois uses; S29 expectorant; S31 sanguinarine 6000-60000 ppm; S36 Health Canada homeopathic
Edibility & Foraging ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
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ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →❌ Not Edible
- Foraging Notes
- Not edible. PFAF assigns an edibility rating of 0/5. No food uses are documented in Moerman's ethnobotanical database (133 uses, none in Food category). The plant contains toxic isoquinoline alkaloids including sanguinarine and is considered poisonous.
S29 edibility 0/5; S28 133 uses, 0 food; S31 sanguinarine alkaloid
- Toxicity
-
☠️ High Toxicity
Contains isoquinoline alkaloids including sanguinarine (6000-60000 ppm in root), berberine, chelerythrine, and protopine. PFAF notes species is poisonous in large doses and should not be used during pregnancy or lactation. Fresh or dried sap causes intense irritation to mucous membranes. LBJ Wildflower Center warns rhizome may be fatal if ingested, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, dilated pupils, and heart failure. Not listed in Cornell poisonous plants database. Despite significant alkaloid content, classified as None by USDA.
S31 alkaloids and concentrations; S29 poisonous in large doses; S4 warning fatal if ingested; S38 not in Cornell database
Seed Source
- Akène
- Akene
- OWSL