Xanthorhiza simplicissima – Yellowroot

One of the most adaptable, care-free groundcovers but virtually unknown in horticulture.  It’s found primarily in the Appalachian Mts – in New York it’s native to eastern Long Island and in Westchester, Columbia and Schenectady counties – so it’s absent from the Catskills but grows well here. There’s nothing spectacular about the plant – the flowers are small and a muddy purplish color – perhaps it’s most ornamental feature is its reddish-gold fall foliage. It shines, though, as a tallish groundcover (growing to 1-3′), perfect for filling in spaces in the woodland garden, but also in dry shade and even dryish, sunny locales. It’s also being used for streambank restoration because it’s quite tolerant of wet soils and occasional inundation.