Bloodroot can be propagated by seed or by dividing the rhizomes.
Seed propagation
- Collect seeds from the plant as soon as they are mature.
- Sow the seeds immediately, about half an inch deep, and keep them moist.
- The seeds will not germinate until the following spring.
- The seeds have a white outer coating that ants like to eat, so they may spread the seeds to their nests.
Rhizome division
- Dig up mature rhizomes in the fall or early winter when the plant is dormant.
- Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling the roots.
- Cut the rhizomes into two-inch sections, making sure each piece has at least one bud.
- Plant the rhizomes in garden soil, one to two inches deep, with the buds facing up.
- Space the rhizomes at least six inches apart.
- Cover with mulch and water regularly.
Additional tips
- You can start plants indoors from seed.
- You can wrap divided rhizomes in wet paper towels and refrigerate them until you’re ready to plant them.
- You can use pine straw or ground up hardwood leaves as mulch.
- You can apply an organic fertilizer and compost in early spring.
- Bloodroot plants rarely need dividing and they self-sow easily.