Xantorhiza simlicissima - YELLOWROOT
Purple-marrow flowers are small, but a pretty detail. Overlooked & underused - small spreading and groundcovering shrub. Tough and adaptable to light conditions, soil and moisture. A great candidate for hard to predict site and transitioning areas (dry to moist, half-sun to shade. Excellent cooper-yellow fall color.
Aromatic and medicinal plant.
Blooming time: April - May
Size: 0.5-2.5' tall x 6-10' wide, suckering and spreading and groundcovering. Concrete path or deeper metal edging can limit it's spread. Otherwise leave some room for this one, this guy won't stop. It's slower in full sun and drier conditions!
USDA zones: 3 to 9
Culture: half-sun, half shade, full shade, dappled shade. Prefers slightly acidic soil to neutral soil and moist to slightly wet soils. Alkaline soil can cause chlorosis. Very adaptable - even to dry soil or clay. Tolerant to heat and humidity.
Moisture Needs: average, moist, drier
Origin: wildflower to parts of southeastern and eastern USA, see the BONAP distribution map. Occurs in moist woodlands, forests, stream banks, woodland edges.
Deer/rabbit resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: no / no. But fruits attract small birds and mammals.
Attracts Hummingbirds: no
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 5" deep pot
Plant combinations: Perfect plant for shade or half shade garden, woodland garden, woodland edge garden, restoration propjects, and erosion control on slopes or underplanting big trees. Possibly better for larger area or wildlife garden.
Looks good with grassy leaeves - best if combined with other vigorous growers Carex (sedges), Deschampsia, Diarrhena (Beak Grass). Other good companions can be Aquilegia canadensis, Asarum, Geranium maculatum, Polemonium reptans, Polygonatum, Podophyllum peltatum, Smilacina, ferns and many others.
Pictures copyright (all) : Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Commons Wikipedia
Xantorhiza simlicissima - YELLOWROOT
Purple-marrow flowers are small, but a pretty detail. Overlooked & underused - small spreading and groundcovering shrub. Tough and adaptable to light conditions, soil and moisture. A great candidate for hard to predict site and transitioning areas (dry to moist, half-sun to shade. Excellent cooper-yellow fall color.
Aromatic and medicinal plant.
Blooming time: April - May
Size: 0.5-2.5' tall x 6-10' wide, suckering and spreading and groundcovering. Concrete path or deeper metal edging can limit it's spread. Otherwise leave some room for this one, this guy won't stop. It's slower in full sun and drier conditions!
USDA zones: 3 to 9
Culture: half-sun, half shade, full shade, dappled shade. Prefers slightly acidic soil to neutral soil and moist to slightly wet soils. Alkaline soil can cause chlorosis. Very adaptable - even to dry soil or clay. Tolerant to heat and humidity.
Moisture Needs: average, moist, drier
Origin: wildflower to parts of southeastern and eastern USA, see the BONAP distribution map. Occurs in moist woodlands, forests, stream banks, woodland edges.
Deer/rabbit resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: no / no. But fruits attract small birds and mammals.
Attracts Hummingbirds: no
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 5" deep pot
Plant combinations: Perfect plant for shade or half shade garden, woodland garden, woodland edge garden, restoration propjects, and erosion control on slopes or underplanting big trees. Possibly better for larger area or wildlife garden.
Looks good with grassy leaeves - best if combined with other vigorous growers Carex (sedges), Deschampsia, Diarrhena (Beak Grass). Other good companions can be Aquilegia canadensis, Asarum, Geranium maculatum, Polemonium reptans, Polygonatum, Podophyllum peltatum, Smilacina, ferns and many others.
Pictures copyright (all) : Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Commons Wikipedia