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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of bloodroot

First recorded in 1570–80; blood + root ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bloodroot

The move cut off a valuable supply of river cane, bloodroot, sage and other plants, which can be difficult to find on the Cherokee Nation’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma, on the border with Arkansas.

From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2022

When Catoctin’s enslaved disappeared, they left behind their dead, simple field stones to mark their graves and the poisonous bloodroot flower in the cemetery underbrush.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 9, 2021

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

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

It was like thinking of bloodroot and witches, or of mushrooms called “destroying angels” and “death cups.”

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen