bloodroot

American  

[bluhd-root, -root] / ˈblʌdˌrut, -ˌrʊt /

noun

1. a North American plant, Sanguinaria canadensis, of the poppy family, having a red root and root sap and a solitary white flower.

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bloodroot British  

/ ˈblʌdˌruːt /

noun

1. Also called: red puccoon.  a North American papaveraceous plant, Sanguinaria canadensis , having a single whitish flower and a fleshy red root that yields a red dye

2. another name for tormentil

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Etymology

Origin of bloodroot

First recorded in 1570–80; blood + root ¹

Example Sentences

In addition to American ginseng, Felumlee cultivates goldenseal, black cohosh, blue cohosh, bloodroot, red trillium, and false unicorn under his trees’ canopy.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2019

The bloodroot she had wrenched from the ground, hauled to her shed and scrubbed clean of dirt — that came in at 0.35 pounds and made her 32 cents.

From Washington Post • Oct. 6, 2017

Hung on the wall above is a blackboard covered with careful but frenzied text: “Remember to gather,” followed by a list of herbs: catnip, bloodroot, golden seal, rosemary, sassafras.

From The New Yorker • May 27, 2017

Not even the tips of the bloodroot were showing, and trout lily leaves were resigned to south-facing slopes.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2015

He flew right out at me, landed on my shoulder, gave me a lecture that I shall never forget, and vanished under the scant cover of trillium and bloodroot leaves.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George