Minnesota Wildflowers


or try: advanced plant search
Share |

Polygala sanguinea (Blood Milkwort)

Plant Info
Also known as: Purple Milkwort, Field Milkwort
Genus:Polygala
Family:Polygalaceae (Milkwort)
Life cycle:annual
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; moist; fields, bogs
Bloom season:July - September
Plant height:4 to 12 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map

Pick an image for a larger view. Most image enlargements are 50-100KB, though some may be larger. See the glossary for icon descriptions.

Detailed Information

Flower: indistinct irregular spike

[photo of flowers] A cylindrical spike, ½ inch across elongating up to 1 inch long with maturity. Individual flowers have 2 outer petal-like sepals that are large, egg-shaped and wing-like, resembling fish scales from the outside. 3 small petals form a narrow tube in the center with 8 tiny yellow-tipped stamens. Flower color ranges from purple to rose pink, fading to greenish white with age. One plant usually has a few to many clusters at the end of branching stems.

Leaves and stem: alternate simple

[photo of leaves] Leaves are up to 1½ inches long and very narrow, with pointed tips and little or no leaf stem. There is a prominent vein down the center. The main stem is angular; the leaves and stem are hairless.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!
  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite
  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos by K. Chayka taken in Blaine, MN, August-September 2009; other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Post a comment

Note: All comments are moderated before posting to keep the riff-raff out. An email address is required, but will not be posted—it will only be used for information exchange between the 2 of us (if needed) and will never be given to a 3rd party without your express permission.

For info on subjects other than plant identification (gardening, invasive species control, edible plants, etc.), please check the links and invasive species pages for additional resources.



(required)




Note: Comments or information about plants outside of Minnesota may not be posted because I’d like to keep the focus of this web site on Minnesota. Thanks for your understanding.