Wildflower Wednesday: Yellowroot

Can you say Xanthorhiza simplicissima?

I'm learning to. Yellowroot is the common name and it's new in my garden. The name comes from the Greek xanthos (yellow) and rhiza (root). I love the tiny, delicate purplish flowers that bloom in the spring and the foliage that has been described as resembling both astilbes and celery. But, good looks was only one of the reasons it came to live in my garden.

Xanthorhiza simplicissima purplish brown flowers

It doesn't hurt that Xanthorhiza simplicissima has high wildlife value! According to "Wildlife Value of Native Plants" by Gary S Wildshoe, Yellowroot provides food and cover for over 50 different birds and mammals. This includes upland game birds, songbirds, and small animals that feed on the fruit. Because it can grow in fairly deep shade, the plant can provide understory habitat and food where few other plants can survive.

source wikipedia~The foliage does resemble celery!

A plant with good looks and great wildlife value are two extremely important characteristics for most plants that join the crowd here, but, the driving reason for choosing Yellowroot was it's reputation as a great groundcover. I needed a plant that could survive the wet winters and dry summers at Clay and Limestone and, one that could out compete the invasive vincas.

Yellowroot should fit the bill. It's been reported to thrive in either full shade or full sun and to survive short term flooding and drought. It can be found growing in Zone 3 to Zone 9. Gardenbloggers, that's Maine to Texas! I think it can make it in my Zone 7, Central Basin garden.

Here's a quote from the Arnold Arboretum that influenced my decision: (source)

A native American plant, found from New York to Florida, this makes an
excellent woody ground cover. True, it grows 2' tall, but in a planting in the
Arnold Arboretum we never have to give this planting any attention except to
pull out woody weed plants which appear every few years. It increases rapidly
by underground stolons and quickly makes a dense mat of upright stems and
feathery foliage. The flowers and fruits are not especially prominent, the bark
and roots are yellow. As a neat, uniformly high cover, this plant has no peers.

and a recent one from Jill Nooney, also at the Arboretum:

In 1929 Nathaniel Lord Britton, former director of the New York Botanical Garden,
wrote, "This low shrub has long been of great interest to botanists, pharmacists, and horti-
culturists." If so, in recent years the interest has been invisible and inaudible. Handsome,
tough, infinitely adaptable, it’s surprising that Xanthorhiza simplicissima has not captured
the imagination of a great many horticulturists. As a landscape plant, its combination of
virtues is hard to match.

I am sure Yellowroot is perfect for a muddy little slope in the Garden of Benign Neglect. You know me, I love under-appreciated plants.

Pleasant Run Nursery

Oh, yes, it has, and I quote "an indescribable shade of purple that persists for weeks during Autumn." that's according to one nurseryman. (source)

I know it's going to be perfect for Clay and Limestone and the Garden of Benign Neglect.
xxoogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom or not; and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please add your url to Mr Linky and leave a comment.


This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for my blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011.This work protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.