“Bloodroot”

Another early spring wildflower, usually one of the first to bloom, shot this one on a hike up a canyon that led into the Ohio River below Madison In. These are pretty cool little flowers, and I always seem to miss the bloom, this year I got lucky and hit it just right and got quite a few images of it. I like how the pedal opens up and gives you a view inside the bloom, the stamens make a great contrast with the white pedals, this is another one you have to shoot quick because the blooms don’t last long and they wilt very fast.

The neat thing about this plant is as the name implies “bloodroot” the roots bleed when they are broken in half, they were used by the Hopewell Indians that lived in the Ohio Valley to paint their bodies and clothing, there is also a wildflower called yellow root that does the same but was used for more medicinal purposes. Both of these plants are still dug today by “diggers” who gather them for sale to drug companies. Thanks for stopping by.