Sanicula marilandica aka Black Snakeroot

Sanicula marilandica also goes by the name Maryland sanicle. It belongs to Apiaceae, the carrot family. It comes from Canada and parts of the United States. Its US range covers northern, central, and eastern states. It grows in a temperate climate, with no great heat or cold. In the wild, it grows in rich woods, meadows, and shores. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. Plants For A Future uses the spelling Sanicula marylandica.

The plant grows to about 4 feet [1.2 metres] tall. It is a perennial: it comes back each year. It does not end its life after just one season. Its thick root has a place in past healing practices. The source gives few facts about this species’ leaves or stems. The RHS gives leaf and fruit traits for the genus alone. These do not show how this species looks.

Plants For A Future gives May to July as bloom time. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects move pollen between the flowers. The plant is self-fertile: it can set seed with its own pollen. The species account gives no flower colour or fruit shape. Bloom time can help guide plans for woodland planting. The sources do not state its full-grown width or growth rate.

Plants For A Future lists this plant for woodland gardens. It suggests sunny wood edges and spots with dappled shade. Its species summary lists sun or part shade as suitable. The plant favours moist soil that drains well. The same summary lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soils. It lists mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil too. The source gives no firm hardiness zone. It suggests the plant may live outdoors across much of Britain. It marks this claim as uncertain. Its fuller care notes draw on the genus as a whole. They do not draw on trials of this species.

The account lists no uses as food. Past uses as medicine focus on the root, not food. People drank root tea for pain, fever, and kidney complaints. They also used it for problems with their periods. Other mixtures served as gargles for the mouth and throat. Records describe root poultices, or soft packs placed on the skin. They also list mixtures meant to cause vomiting. These past uses do not prove safety or benefit. The sources do not establish whether this species is toxic. The warning about saponins concerns other plants in the genus. The material lists no pests or diseases specific to this species.