What is Bloodroot Used For?

A small perennial herb native to North American woodlands, Bloodroot has been used as a medicinal herb for hundreds of years.

Description

• Bloodroot, or Sanguinaria canadensis, is a low-growing plant with an underground stem, or rhizome. Single, eight-petaled white flowers emerge from the rhizome wrapped in a single, lobed leaf.

Native Americans

• Because the juices of the rhizome itself are red, early Native Americans used it both as a war paint and a fabric dye. They also used bloodroot for sore throats, rheumatism and certain skin disorders.

Herbal Medicine

• Today, some herbalists use small amounts of bloodroot for throat infections, migraines, ringworm, warts and tumors. It is also found in some compound cough remedies and used as a dental plaque inhibitor.

Warnings

• Bloodroot contains an alkaloid, sanuinarine, which is poisonous if ingested. The Food & Drug Administration has deemed bloodroot an unsafe herb.

Growing Bloodroot

• Bloodroot should not be taken from the wild, as it is a rare plant. It can be grown from cuttings or seed. It can be grown in shady, moist soil.