From the April 2008 Conservationist By Barbara Nuffer The white
blossom of the bloodroot is one of the first flowers to greet us
when we walk in the woods in early spring. Bloodroot is a native
wildflower that blooms in mid-April in New York's rich, acidic
woodlands. As it emerges through the forest's leaf litter, the
single flower stem is surrounded by the developing leaf. This
beautiful flower has 8 to 12 white petals with a bright yellow
center and can measure up to two inches across. Unfortunately,
the flower is very short-lived, lasting for several days at
most. However, rainy weather can cause the petals to drop off in
a single day. Like other ephemeral wildflowers, bloodroot
blooms, attracts pollinators, and sets its seed before the
deciduous trees have leafed out. By late spring, bloodroot
plants are dormant and disappear entirely until the following
spring. The seed is produced in an oblong seed pod that ripens
in late spring. The pod opens up and the seeds spring out below
the plant. The fleshy coat