Madder

It's not that pretty, but it is hardy and tough.
I bought it as a historical curiosity (the roots are an ancient source of red d...Read Moreye). It will do well even when neglected. I don't find it invasive, as it hasn't spread outside of it's designated area and it's been growing for there many years, but due to all the underground runners it would be hard to remove if you go tired of it. It has neat velcro like hooks on it's stem... feels weird on your fingers.

Also called dyer's madder, it yeilds a beautiful red dye from its colorful roots. This hardy, sprawling perennial is easily grown from cu...Read Morettings or stolons. It can grow as high as 4' when studier plants are near for support. Because of its robost, invasive nature in the south; it is probably not the plant for the average gardener, but madder is a fine source for the weaver and dye specialist.