Yesterday I noticed a true harbinger of spring making its appearance out in the yard—bloodroot.
I just love everything about the wildflower.
The plant progresses in an amazing way.
In the beginning you see little white heads poking their way through the ground. Seemingly overnight the flowers open wide with their cheery faces looking towards the heat of the sun with their leaves hugged up close to keep them warm from the cold spring wind.
The pretty blooms don’t last long. One day they’re there, the next it’s like a small creature came along and picked each white petal off, leaving only the pointy stamen behind to show where the flower grew.
The lobed leaves grow larger and larger after the blooms fall away. They reach varying sizes, some as large as my hand. But by mid summer there isn’t a trace of Bloodroot left. The entire plant dies back to sleep till next year’s spring awakens it again.
Bloodroot gets it’s name from the red liquid found in it’s roots and stems. In days gone by the plant was used in medicinal remedies.
I look forward to the beauty of bloodroot every year. I marvel as it’s petals fall off and it’s leaves open wide in welcome of spring of the year.
Last night’s video: A People and Their Quilts 11.
Tipper
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I’ve seen these but didn’t know what they were called. So beautiful.
Bloodroot is one of my favorites 🙂
We’re many weeks away from bloodroot here, I think – but the way the seasons seem to be disintegrating, you never know.
Hi again Tipper…I did do a google on this plant – sadly we do NOT have it here in British Columbia. 🙁 The following states where it can be found – mainly in the eastern & southern provinces of Canada. Still find it sad that for such a pretty plant it blooms for such a shot time – if one is not looking at the right time, or ‘blinks’ they would miss seeing it at all! ****Geographic Region:
Bloodroot grows in a large region from Southern Manitoba in Canada to Southeastern Texas, and from South Dakota to the Atlantic Ocean. It is found in every state, except for Alaska, Hawaii, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
>>It is found in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec.****
Tipper – you have the gift of language. You can weave such a beautiful sentence that paints a life like picture! Thank you for sharing your gift. I’ve never seen a Bloodroot, but I hope to see one someday. Happy spring ❤️
Tipper–An aunt of mine and Don’s dearly loved bloodroots. Her only child came to the mountains a number of years back, accompanied by her family, to spend a bit of time with her cousins. We all hiked up to the old home place on Juney Whank Branch (you’ve been there–it’s where a bunch of us went after the funeral service for Daddy) where Aunt Jessie, our father, and their parents and siblings once lived. It was a March day much like today–rainy, grey, grim, but still carrying hints of spring. One of the biggest of those hints came in the form of a single bloodroot bloom on a south face near the old spring. Don pointed it out and Carolyn (Aunt Jessie’s daughter) then did something that was, at least for me, deeply meaningful. She said a few words about her late mother, noted how her mother had loved wildflowers and said bloodroot was her favorite, and then reached in the little day pack she carried. Out of it she brought an urn containing her mother’s ashes and sprinkled some around the bloodroot. Then we all toasted Aunt Jessie’s memory with a drink of cold, pure, sweet, set-your-teeth-on-edge water from the spring.
It was a haunting, deeply moving moment.
The true harbinger of Spring in Texas is the bluebonnet. I saw my first one on leap day which is extremely early. They will peak before Easter this year, and Easter will come almost at its earliest date this year. Usually, the peak comes in early April.
Bearded iris are also in full bloom here . . . again very early for them.
Texas weather is notoriously variable and the seasons, too.
Good morning Tipper – I don’t think we have this plant here where i am – do not recall ever seeing it anyway or even hearing about it – it is such a pretty little thing it is too bad the flower part has such a short life – I will have to google it and see if we have it here on Vancouver Island. ( west coast of Canada area) Winter has still been ‘toying’ with us here too, having it’s last hurrah with a few flurries & frosty mornings, but we hold fast to the hope Spring over power to take over soon. Have a beautiful day – each of you.
Where I live in central Georgia, the weather has certainly warmed up and all the trees and weeds are making their full appearance. Pollen is everywhere!!!!! We are having almost the same weather scenario as last year—and we all know what happened last year—at least in my area—we had a hard freeze and everything that had budded out was destroyed!!!!! The peach farmers in our area had a terrible year and for the first time in years, everything in my yard was stunted and had to come out all over again. I didn’t purchase any hanging baskets or bedding plants last year because it seemed like it was never going to warm up again—we started traveling and I never got around to turning my attention to my container gardening. To further make things interesting, it was well into June before it was really warm enough to swim in our swimming pool. I am not complaining—just merely making interesting observations that in almost 70 years of living where I live, I hadn’t experienced before—at least that I can remember. God always has a plan and I try to be a team player. I LOVE YOUR BLOG…!!!
They look a lot like tiny wild strawberries that grow all around our yard. They are not eatable from what I’ve been told. The flower bloom looks the same. I’ll have to research if they are related.
Thank you sharing about this beautiful wildflower, bloodroot. I don’t think I have ever seen it before. Here, we are beginning to see signs of Spring with buttercups blooming, yellow bells and cherry blossoms. We’ve already had to cut the grass. I love all of the seasons, but Spring always reminds me of the newness of life.
I don’t see bloodroot here in flat country or don’t know what I looking at. Having seen your picture of it I’ll be on the lookout for it.
I planted some taters yesterday. My goal each year is to scratch up some for Mothers Day, normally I can. Thats my Mothers Day present to my wife. Some years I’ve had to cover them to protect them from a late frost.
Spring is an awesome time of the year, but for the angry weather we sometimes get. Those storms bring the rain and the beauty of the coming late spring and the wonderful warmth of summer. Isn’t God giving us so much to look forward to. The crops of delicious food, bouquets of fresh flowers, the fishing, picnics and just all that is to come with summertime. I’m not very good at expressing myself but I hope y’all have a wonderful spring and enjoy it all. Easter is upon us. I believe it to be my favorite holiday. God bless y’all today and always. Thanks Miss Tipper. Jennifer
The Bloodroot usually blooms in April here in KY. Many of the trees and flowers are blooming early this year but I haven’t seen the bloodroot yet. My pear tree is fully budded a month ahead of time. That could mean another year without fruit as Old Man Winter is not through with us yet.
For me, I enjoyed the dogwood trees blooming as much as anything in the spring of the year. I can never look at a dogwood tree without thinking of “The Legend Of The Dogwood Tree.” I know there my not be any truth in it but I still like it.
CEG
In Ohio we have an invasive yellow flower which came out last week in the woods & grasslands which we call a “Fig Buttercup”. It lasts only about a week & then disappears until next spring. My mother-in-law loved to see them when they came out because she knew spring would be not too far behind. She would tell our daughter, “whenever you see them blooming think of me”. She passed away about 15 years ago and we do think of her every year when we see them blooming.
We have bloodroot flower buds up which may open today. The previous owner planted them I guess over 30 years ago. Our Mom taught us over 60 years ago now to identify wildflowers. I’ve been doing it ever since. Where I grew up, in southeast KY, there were hepaticas. I have not seen any of those in many years.
I’ve heard of Bloodroot but never have seen it. Pretty little flower. Interesting that it dies out after blooming. The daffodils and hyacinths have been blooming here in Virginia for the last two weeks along with some beautiful warm weather. Two days ago, my three cherry trees blossomed out as well as some of the wild trees out in a field behind us. The oaks and other trees are starting to leaf out also. Pretty soon the Redbuds will blossom out. Spring is my favorite season for several reasons, but the main reason is because I was born again on Easter day 1962.
I love Winter for selfish reasons: no mowing… (have about a mile of weedeating that never gets completely done before the areas that MUST get done, need done again) AND heating with wood. If someone could please find a way to cool with wood, maybe I’d enjoy Summer as much…
And maybe having grown up where it was HOT 10 months out of the year and rained the other 2 months makes me appreciate Winter.
But what is MOST exciting about Spring is the “newness” of nature; yes the wildflowers; and the trees and bushes; and the new gardens (groceries and flowers) and the fellowship of gardening TOGETHER.
And for the last 2 years, participating in trying to revive the 100% AMERICAN Chestnut trees. I just planted 23 more seeds of 3rd generation from “stump shoots” an Internet friend in New York sent, and plan to transition last year’s from 2 gallon pots and into the ground. Yes, it’s “hard” to see them endure the blight that will surely hit them, but also exciting to watch with great hope of them developing a resistance to the blight that killed BILLIONS of them all the way up through the Appalachians.
ALL these things in nature are “Life’s Extras.” Yes, some essential for food and natural materials, but also things God “shares” (provides) for us to enjoy just because He loves us and He can. Like you. Thank you for your information and daily encouragement.
Paul, I think you own or have read “Life’s Extras” by Archibald Rutledge. It is a fine little book.
It seems here lately that you can almost watch the grass growing. Flowers and trees are increasing their spring growth daily. My day lilies seem to have grown to about 6” overnight. Growing up in the cove, my sister and I had a yearly routine of trying to find the patch of dog tooth violets near one of the creeks on our farm. We knew when to expect them but sometimes we missed them. I haven’t found too many patches of wildflowers where I live now. I have loved walking in the woods since I was a child using mossy places for a playhouse. We are supposed to have 30 degree temperatures Sunday night. I expect that will brown the saucer magnolias and others that bloom early but hopefully some can withstand the cold. I’ve seen forsythias in full bloom but mine just have a few on the stems near where they have reached and rooted. There have been other signs of spring as I found a baby rabbit on the carport yesterday. I’ve seen several adults near the brush pile in the edge of my yard. I guess they haven’t outsmarted my big puppy yet. Last year I watched rabbits racing around my house but since I got the pup in October they mostly stay in the tall grass in the field that hasn’t been mowed. My mower has been serviced and the grass in my yard is high enough to mow in places but I’ll wait until it dries a bit. It takes me most of an afternoon even with a large mower but I enjoy mowing. It’s also time for my dog and me to take another wildflower walk. Hopefully we can find some we haven’t seen before. And like others, I’m sure, I am anxious to hear that those precious little boys have arrived. I think of Corie when I hear and see the red /shouldered hawks around their nest. Maybe they will raise another one this year.
I seen them flares round hear somewhures but I can’t figger out whur. You’ve done got me cureus now. If somebidy hadn’t slashed my waders I’d be alookin fur em rite now.
That’s me writing just the way I talk, minus the intonations.
I clearly heard the intonations in my mind’s ear.
You bring up so many memories from my childhood. I don’t think I ever knew their name or even fully recognize them, but seeing the picture makes me think I did see them.
After watching your recent video about how you got started and all that you do for the blog and videos, I have a new appreciation for all you do. Thank you so much for all you do.
I don’t believe I have ever seen one. I am on a quest
i can’t count the number of times i scoured the woods for bloodroot to sell later in the summer…there was many a car payment made when i was between jobs when i was younger from digging bloodroot and other various things to sell…
thanks for the memories this morning.. makes me want to head out to the woods,,, if only i had the energy..
I love the early spring flowers! When mushroom hunting I can’t help but notice the flowers and plants and seeing the woods come alive during the season. Spring is one of my favorite seasons, but I really like them all.
Bloodroot was probably the first wildflower outside of dandelions I learned to recognize. My grams favorite reminder of spring, there was a patch out back of the shed every spring. Thanks for the memories.
Dear Tipper. That’s a beautiful description of bloodroot you gave us this morning. You are a wonderful writer. I don’t know if we have that wildflower, but I sure have noticed signs of spring too—like the daffodils growing beside a tree in our yard, some tulips popping through the ground—and the bare, winter branches of our forsythias sprouting tiny blooms like little paintbrushes covering all the ends. I just love all the colors of Spring.
I don’t know much about these different wildflowers, I have seen some in the woods but didn’t know the names of them. Since I don’t live in the mountains, some of them may not grow around here. One early sign of spring for me is when my Grandmother’s peony bush begins to sprout back up, it has started during the last week. It seems like you can almost see it grow because of it growing so fast. I wonder how old it is, I know for a fact it is at least 65 years old, I remember when I was very young Grandmother warning me to not mess with the flowers on it. It would have meant big trouble for my rear end if I did. Last night our local weatherman is forecasting for the week before Easter to be cold with frost and warning people not to start planting. My Daddy would always say there will be a cold spell at Easter. Many times he was right.