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Bloodroot


littlebit

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Bloodroot is definitely one of the darlings of a wild flower garden as long as you have lots of humus and moist but well drained soil.  They're a little picky about where they live and usually grow in groups when they find a spot that they like.  Create a rich humusy area in moderate shade with tons of leaf mold and once inoculated with all of the goodies that rich soil brings, you can grow many of the wild flowers that you find here in Pennsylvania.  However, it's best to purchase a commercial plant or find a friend who can gift you with one because sometimes areas of wildflowers get destroyed and can't re-establish easily.

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44 minutes ago, littlebit said:

I came across a wild flower the other day, found out it is bloodroot. Does anyone have any experience with this plant? I love bringing home living treasures! 

 

 

They transplant easily and are quite hard to kill. I have some growing under an arborvitae where it is quite dry.  Mine are growing in shade but I've seen them along the road in full sun. I found one a few days ago in a place where I didn't plant it so it seems that they reseed as well. Good luck with it This is one plant that seems to do well when you try to domesticate it. 

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2 hours ago, littlebit said:

Thank you both. The patch I found is rather large and of all the wild flowers I have found I've never taken them all. Now to find a place for them and get some :yes:

Bet I know where that patch is. They are blooming now. ;)

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On 4/7/2020 at 10:01 PM, littlebit said:

I came across a wild flower the other day, found out it is bloodroot. Does anyone have any experience with this plant? I love bringing home living treasures! 

 

 

I happened across this excellent link on Blood Root.  Enjoy!

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=m290

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  • 1 month later...

Update on the bloodroot. I had one plant growing under a tree. It has been there for years. There were also a few plants that were being kept for the spring plant sale. Suddenly, this spring I am finding bloodroot plants all over the yard. They are all new plants and didn't bloom this spring but I am looking forward to next year. They must seed like crazy when the conditions are right. 

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This is interesting! Ant colonies farm them!

 

 

EcologyEdit

Bloodroot is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants, a process called myrmecochory. The seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes, and put the seeds in their nest debris, where they are protected until they germinate. They also benefit from growing in a medium made richer by the ant nest debris.

The flowers produce pollen, but no nectar. Various bees and flies visit the flowers looking in vain for nectar, for instance sweat bees in the genera Lasioglossum and Halictuscuckoo bees in the genus Nomadasmall carpenter bees (Ceratina), and bee flies in the genus Bombylius. Some bees come to collect pollen, including mining bees (Andrena), which are the most effective pollinators.[7][8]

The bitter and toxic leaves and rhizomes are not often eaten by mammalian herbivores.[8]

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On 5/20/2020 at 2:32 PM, Sanibel said:

This is interesting! Ant colonies farm them!

 

 

EcologyEdit

Bloodroot is one of many plants whose seeds are spread by ants, a process called myrmecochory. The seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants take the seeds to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes, and put the seeds in their nest debris, where they are protected until they germinate. They also benefit from growing in a medium made richer by the ant nest debris.

The flowers produce pollen, but no nectar. Various bees and flies visit the flowers looking in vain for nectar, for instance sweat bees in the genera Lasioglossum and Halictuscuckoo bees in the genus Nomadasmall carpenter bees (Ceratina), and bee flies in the genus Bombylius. Some bees come to collect pollen, including mining bees (Andrena), which are the most effective pollinators.[7][8]

The bitter and toxic leaves and rhizomes are not often eaten by mammalian herbivores.[8]

Thanks, I'll be checking to see if any of them are near ant hills. We have quite a few.

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