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Would this be a good companion for Bloodroot?

aachenelf z5 Mpls

16 years ago

I love, love, love Bloodroot! The flowers are so short lived, but I would never be without this gem. Over the years I've scattered seed throughout my garden and have them everywhere.

Most are individual plants or very small clumps, but I do have this larger clump about 2 feet x 1 foot. Come late summer when the foliage is usually gone, I have a very visible hole. I want to do something about that, but I don't want to plant anything around it that would compete with the Bloodroot. I want it to spread as far as it wants.

How about if I planted a few Corydalis lutea seedlings in amongst the Bloodroot? I have a lot of this (love it to DEATH also) and think I could do it carefully so I wouldn't destroy any of the Bloodroot rhizomes. Would it be too vigorous? I know it selfseeds like crazy, but I could keep the excess seedlings pulled.

Good idea or not?

Kevin

Featured Answer

franeli

16 years ago

I have the native tiarella planted by a clump of blood root which is in front of several christmas ferns.
The tiarella sprawls around with surface-type roots and is easy to pull away from the blood root in spring.
The blood root blooms first, then the tiarella.
When the blood root leaves disappear mid-late summer, the tiarella has filled the area with pretty leaves.

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Comments (7)

waplummer
16 years ago
I personally would not like the combination. How about wild ginger?
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
16 years ago
Ginger (Asarum canadensis) has almost achieved the status of an invasive weed in my garden. I pull more seedlings of this every spring than just about anything else. I guess ants spread this plant because they like the coating around the seed. I think it also grows much to dense. I'm sure it would overtake the Bloodroot in nothing flat.
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john_4b
16 years ago
Follow your own gut sense, Kevin, I think that Corydalis would be a good partner for the bloodroot, and you are right that Asarum becomes a thug, overtaking most anything planted in its way. If the corydalis becomes too invasive it is easily pulled away from the bloodroot.
entling
16 years ago
I have my Sanguinaria planted behind Hostas. The Hostas haven't even broken ground yet when the Sanguinaria is blooming, then their foliage looks good together in summer. The absence of the Sanguinaria foliage is not very noticiable, particularly if the Hosta is a fall bloomer.
bean_counter_z4
16 years ago
Hosta was a great idea. What about heuchera which remains in a clump and won't spread out into your bloodroot? Or bleeding heart if you like something taller? Maybe a geranium like Rosanne or lilies if you have enough sun?
aachenelf z5 Mpls
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks much for the suggestions. This particular clump of Bloodroot is right, smack in the front of the bed, so I can't plant anything in front of it.

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