Yellowroot is a small, woody perennial that forms a dense carpet that reaches 1 to 3 feet high. This east coast native is found in damp woods, stream banks, and wet depressions. The best feature is the yellow to red to purple fall color. The roots are yellow and were once used to make dye.
- Family (English) Buttercup
- Family (botanic) Ranunculaceae
- Tree or plant type Perennial, Shrub
- Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
- Native locale North America
- Size range Large plant (more than 24 inches), Low-growing shrub (under 3 feet)
- Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
- Hardiness zones Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9
- Soil preference Acid soil, Alkaline soil, Moist, Sandy soil, well-drained soil, Wet soil
- Tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Occasional drought, Occasional flooding, Wet sites
- Season of interest early summer, midsummer, late summer, early fall
- Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous, Purple
- Shape or form Creeping, Multi-stemmed, Thicket-forming
- Growth rate Moderate
- Has cultivars No
