Hello! Hope this Spring season is bringing you joy.  Last week when I left the farm, I exited towards a very windy road and to my surprise I came upon an embankment full of Spring Ephemerals.  Ephemerals are plants that come to the spring party for a short visit, enter with a WOW appearance and then vanish!  They do not die but they do go dormant till the next year, so when they are present they deserve your attention. Let’s just say I gave my attention and risked danger to myself on this windy and steep road, making a quick turn around and then having the nerve to get out, and get up and close to take in the beauty before me.  As they say ” Don’t try this at home” shaking my head.  After I got back in the car I quickly came back to my senses and could not believe I did what I did in the moment of horticulture intoxication and how quick I did it all. The turn around, the pull over and then the exit to photograph and then jump back into the car. Total madness but check out the details below:

See it was worth it.  And who might this be.  Well, let me introduce you (BIG GRIN) this is Sanguinaria canadensis aka Bloodroot. Now just picture this all over a steep woodland hillside it was spectacular, especially in the darkness of this ecosystem the road was under a canopy of very mature trees so it was like driving in a woodland tunnel spotlighted with these little beauties. Bloodroot gets its name for the dark red sap in the  stems and roots of the plant which resembles blood. The colored juice from these areas of the plant can be used to make red, pink and orange dyes.  It is also use medicinally as a salve to treat skin cancers and is quickly becoming hard to find and reaching the point of extinction in certain areas of the United States because of this medicinal purpose. Since it is a fighter of bacteria and inflammation it helps with many ailments such as toothaches, breathing problems, fever, skin problems, headaches, muscle and joint pain. In the Fall the root and rhizome are collected for use in medicines.

Bloodroot adores damp soil but it can be naturalized in the drier areas under trees; allow these woodland plants to be planted in rich soil receiving spring moisture and summer shade.  It grows in the eastern parts of the United States and Canada.

This wildflower ephemeral will definitely be the star of your early spring garden, make you stop in the midst of whatever you are doing to enjoy it up close and heal you both physically and spiritually.  So put it on your invitee list for the Spring dance, it will appear early, dressed to impress and then quickly exit leaving you longing to be in its presence till you meet again.

Thanks Sanguinaria for the dance and the magnificent dip while we embraced, till next time sleep well.