Bloodroot

Description:

White flower with 8-10 petals and a golden yellow center. Leaves are round simple lobed, 4-7 inches, sitting on a long leafstalk, leaves wrap around the flower stalk.

Habitat:

Spotted at Tamarac NWR Discovery Center in a deciduous wooded area.

Notes:

These flowers lack nectar. It is one of the earliest plants, it emerges from nearly frozen soil, flowering before trees leaf out. The genus name, Sanguinaria, comes from the Latin word for "bleeding," describing the red orange juice in the stems and roots, used by many cultures as a dye and insect repellent.