Yarrow (Achillea)
[ah-KILL-lee-ah]

Deciduous Perennial in the Asteraceae Family

About Yarrows

Whether you’re a lazy gardener or a botanical overachiever, Yarrow’s got your back. Plant it once, forget it forever, and enjoy the drama-free beauty.

So named because Achilles allegedly used this plant to speed his wounded soldiers’ healing during the Trojan War, Yarrow has historically been prized for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and astringent properties both in European folk medicine and indigenous North America.

Achillea is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, and blooms with lacy, flat caps of flowers for much of the summer.

Pros

  • Yarrows come in a wide range of colors... you can mix them all together and get a pastel wonder.
  • Unique peppery, sharp smell that isn't unpleasant (except to deer and rabbits).  It's also an insect repellant.
  • Great cut flowers

Cons

  • Will not tolerate shade
  • Susceptible to Powdery Mildew (Water the soil instead of the foliage and give them space to grow for air flow to help prevent disease.)
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 36 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: As a drought-tolerant plant, the common yarrow does not need much water to thrive. Limit summer watering to no more than once a month.
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Extended Bloom Time, Fast Growth Rate, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance, Medium, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Repels Unwanted Insects, Showy Flowers, Thrillers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Salt, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
 

Rankings
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Butterfly milkweed, rudbeckia daisies, purple coneflower and native grasses.

Photos of This with...

Goat's Beard, Spider Salmon with Dark Eye Gerbera Daisy, Short 'n Sassy Sneezeweed, The Rocket Leopard Plant, Green Carpet Japanese Pachysandra, Shenandoah Switch Grass, Blue Hill Wood Sage, Periwinkle
 


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We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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