Nutrition
Bloodroot undergoes the process of photosynthesis in order to obtain energy. In early spring, bloodroot receives full sun because the trees haven't leafed out at that point, which is when it needs more energy since it is getting ready to bloom. Since bloodroot is not a carnivorous plant, it must obtain the nutrients it needs through the soil. Because of this, bloodroot lives in areas that the soil does not dry out easily such as wooded areas. In other words, the soil needs to be moist, rich, and must contain high amounts of organic matter. Soil also has to be slightly acidic (pH of 5.5 to 6.5) for bloodroot to grow well, but it doesn't die off easily if conditions are changed much.
Bloodroot grows after the time snow is present and before the
canopy of the trees leaf out. It acts somewhat like a dam and
takes in nutrients that are being washed away during this period,
and that
could
be lost in the ecosystem. Because of this timing, it helps not
only bloodroot, but also plants like E. americanum get as
many nutrients as they need. It also helps with the loss of
nutrients from the ecosystem as a whole.
Once water and nutrients are inside, they are transported like any other plant. Movement of food always goes from the sink to the source; the sink being the place nutrients are, and the source being where they came from. In the source, material are converted into glucose, then sucrose, where it then enters the phloem. This causes the osmotic concentration to increase, resulting in a pressure increase, which allows for the movement of food up the plants to areas of lower concentration. In bloodroot, food is stored in its roots or bulbs.
Bloodroot has three kinds of tissues; dermal, ground and vascular. The dermal tissue is on the outer surface of the plant and prevents water loss, ground tissue makes up most of the plant and gives it support, and vascular tissue is responsible for transporting food and water throughout the plant.
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