Yellowroot
Xanthorhiza simplicissima
The fix for a wet, shady slope: a dense, weed-suppressing groundcover with warm bronze-yellow October color. Holds ground where most plants fail.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
One of the best native solutions for a wet, shaded slope that needs coverage. it spreads into a colony and holds the bank without drama.
Yellowroot is one of those plants that makes the problem of a wet, shady slope suddenly solvable. It spreads by rhizomes to form a dense, weed-suppressing groundcover in conditions where most plants struggle: stream edges, rain garden margins, shaded slopes that stay moist after every rain. The compound leaves are attractive all season, and in October they turn a warm bronze-yellow that stands out in the shade garden. Small purplish flowers appear in spring before the leaves fully emerge, modest but appreciated by early pollinators. The bright yellow inner bark gave the plant its name and was historically used as a dye. At one to three feet tall, yellowroot bridges the gap between groundcover and low shrub, making it a practical choice for any slope or drainage area that needs holding.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown yellowroot propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant yellowroot instead of Native alternative to goutweed (Aegopodium) and lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) in moist shade. Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 36–60 in wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Native range
- Eastern United States
Care notes for yellowroot.
Part to full shade, moist to wet soil. the moister the better. Tolerates periodic standing water. Spreads by rhizome into a colony; plant where spreading is welcome or edge annually to contain. No pruning required. No supplemental feeding needed in average garden conditions.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside yellowroot.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.