Yarrow

Achillea

Yarrow is one of those plants that give a wildflower look to any garden. In fact, it is indeed a native plant and, predictably, it’s easy to care for. In some gardens, it will thrive with almost no care, making it a good candidate for naturalistic plantings in open areas and along the edges of wooded or other wild places.

Its colorful, flat-top blooms rise above clusters of ferny foliage. The tough plants resist drought, are rarely eaten by deer and rabbits, and spread moderately quickly, making yarrow a good choice for massing in borders or as a groundcover. If deadheaded after its first flush of blooms fade, yarrow will rebloom. If left to dry on the plant, flower clusters of some types provide winter interest. Flowers of yarrow are excellent either in fresh or dried arrangements.

Light: Sun

Type: Herb, Perennial

Height: Under 6 inches to 8 feet

Width: 18-36 inches wide

Flower color: Chartreuse/Gold, Gray/Silver

Seasonal features: Fall bloom, Spring bloom, Summer bloom, Winter interest

Problem solvers: Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Groundcover, Slope/Erosion control

Special features: Attracts birds, Cut flowers, Good for containers, Low maintenance

Zones: 3-10

How to Plant Yarrow

Yarrow is most often propagated by division, so chances are your will buy your yarrow as a plant. Space your plants 12 to 24 inches apart if you are planting more than one yarrow plant.

You can also start your yarrow herb from seed. Start seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before your last frost date. Sow the seeds in moist, normal potting soil. The seeds should just barely be covered by the potting soil. Place the pot with the yarrow seeds in a sunny and warm location.

Regardless of whether your yarrow plants are grown from seed or bought as full plants, you will want to plant them in full sun. They will thrive in a wide variety of soils but do best in well drained soil. Yarrow plant will even grow in very poor dry soils with low fertility soil.The seeds should germinate in 14 to 21 days, depending on the conditions. You can speed up the germination by covering the top of the pot with plastic wrap to keep in moisture and heat. Remove the plastic wrap once the seeds have sprouted.

Some caution should be taken when growing yarrow, as in the right conditions, it can become invasive and will then be in need of control.

How to Grow Yarrow

Once you have planted your yarrow, it needs little care. It does not need to be fertilized and only needs to be watered during times of severe drought.

While yarrow needs little care, it is susceptible to a few diseases and pests. Most commonly, they will be affected by either botrytis mold or powdery mildew. These will both appear as a white powdery covering on the leaves. These can both be treated with a fungicide. Yarrow plants are also occasionally affected by spittlebugs.