Yellowroot has interesting tiny brownish purple flowers in spring and later produce star-shaped fruit enjoyed by birds and small animals. The foliage of Xanthoriza ia bright green and celery-like, it forms a dense carpet innumerous types of conditions. Yellowroot has long been used by Native Americans as a dye. Fall color starts off yellow and changes to a reddish purple later in the season. Yellowroot spreads to make an excellent colonizing groundcover. Good for banks and soil stabilization.