Carpeting the woodland garden now is the North American native spring ephemeral, Sanguinaria canadensis. This widespread wildflower is native to virtually the entire Eastern US. The common name, bloodroot, comes from the red pigment, Sanguinarine, which can be found in all plant parts, especially the underground rhizomes. The red pigment has long been used for a dye, but also has been used medicinally, despite being toxic in the wrong amounts. The flowers are very short lived, lasting only 1-2 days each. The old flowers set seed quickly, and for us, seed around the garden creating a lovely patchwork of random patches in late winter/early spring. The mit-shaped foliage remains until later in spring, before going summer dormant.
I love this in my gardens. It continues to reseed and pop up in unexpected areas. Mine is later than usual as are many things after the winter we have.
Just did a power point presentation for a local environmental group on natives and included Bloodroot- Love it in all it’s forms from species to fancies.
found this in an article from New England Magazine by Rowan Jacobsen with this line
“Beneath a stand of ash we discover a carpet of white bloodroot blossoms, their leaves wrapped around their stems like capes.”
https://newengland.com/today/the-ephemerals/