COMMON NAME : Bloodroot, King Root, Red Root, Red Puccoon, Red Indian Paint, Coonroot, Cornroot, Large Leaved Bloodwort, Large Leaved Sandwort, Panson, Pauson, Snakebite, Sweet Slumber, Tetterwort

ELEMENT : Fire

RULING PLANET : Mars

GENDER : Masculine

MAGICKAL POWERS : Love, Protection, Purification

DESCRIPTION : Bloodroot is an herbaceous perennial that grows 6-12 inches high. The plant is very brittle and succulent. Red juice bleeds from broken areas.

The thick horizontal rhizome is slightly curved on one end, orange-red with fine rootlets. When dried, the root is yellow inside and brown outside.

S. candadensis flowers mid-spring to early summer. A single white, cup shaped flower with golden waxlike stamens appears on the stalk. It is about 1-2 inches across with 7-16 petals arranged in whorls. The flower closes at night or on shady days.

The single heart shaped leaf appears when the flower dies. It has 5-9 deep lobes, pale grey-green with toothed or wavy edges. The leaves are covered with soft down, an is prominently veined on the underside. A long, channeled petiole grows up from buds on the rhizome. The leaves grow all summer and may reach up to 7 inches long.

The seed capsule is oblong and 3/4 to 1 (2.5 cm) inch long and contains brown oval seeds.

The bitter, orange-red sap runs through the entire plant but is darkest in the root.

CULTIVATION : S. c likes cool, moist deciduous woods and woodland slopes. It prefers rich, moist humusy soil in full sun to part shade.

It is common in New England, being native from New Brunswick south to Texas, west to Kansas. It is considered endangered or threatened in some states.

PART OF THE PLANT USED : The dried rhizomes of bloodroot are used. Collect the rhizome in early summer May - June or in autumn when the leaves have dried.

PLANT ANALYSIS : Bloodroot contains isoquinoline alkaloids including sanguinarine, chelerythrine, protopine and homochelidine; red resin, citric acid, berberine, alpha and beta allocryptopine, and malic acids.

MEDICINAL ACTION : S. candadensis is considered a cardiac, emmenagogue, emetic, expectorant, sialagogue, alterative, diuretic, febrifuge, sedative, and tonic.

MEDICINAL USE : Do not use without medical supervision. In large doses it may cause nausea and vomiting and is a potentially fatal sedative. Not to be used in large amounts due to the toxic alkaloid sanguinarine.

Bloodroot is used in the manufacture of toothpastes and mouthwashes due to the antibacterial extracts from the herb. It is considered a dental plaque inhibitor. Other uses, under proper supervision include : used in combination with other herbs as an expectorant in the treatment of bronchitis, asthma and laryngitis because of its relaxing action on bronchial muscles; to induce therapeutic vomiting; sore throats;

Past uses include : externally in a decoction for skin sores, ringworm, eczema, athletes foot, warts and other skin problems. Research has shown the red juice is escharotic -an extremely caustic substance, chemically capable of destroying tissue.

DOSAGE : Use only under professional supervision - Do not use on your own. It induces vomiting in all but very small doses. Do not take during pregnancy, breast feeding or in cases of glaucoma.

MAGICKAL USE : Use Bloodroot in rituals for purification, protection and love.

HISTORY :

The common names ochoon and pucoon is Alagonquian in origin.

The common name sweet slumber derives from the fact that this plant can be deadly.

It was used by Native Americans to paint their skin and to dye cloth red. It was also used to dye ceremonial implements.

The Chippewa mixed equal parts of bloodroot with blue cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictrodes, in a decoction for stomach cramps. It was also considered a blood medicine.

The Seneca used bloodroot in childbirth.

Meskwaki Native Americans used S. candadensis to bathe burns. They would chew the root and spit the juice on the injury. The Ojibe used the juice for sore throats, the Potawatomi used an infusion to cure diptheria and the juice on a lump of maple sugar which was held in the mouth for sore throats. And the Mohawk used an infusion for ear aches.

Bloodroot was listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia from 1820-1926 as a stimulating expectorant. It was also listed the the Canadian Pharmacopeia from 1868-1892.

In 1854 it was given as a preventive of bilious fever.

LORE : To draw love to you, wear or carry a piece of the rhizome.

Place bloodroot near a door or window to avert negativity and to protect the home.

The darkest red roots considered best and known as "king roots or "he roots."

Penobscot Native American strung bits of dried root as a necklace to be worn to prevent bleeding.

In some native tribes (particular tribes not described) bachelors would rub the red juice of Bloodroot on their hands. They would then find a way to shake the hand of a woman they desired. If they were successful, after five or six days the woman would agree to marry them. Bloodroot was also said to improve the desirability of women.