Yarrow
Achillea millefolium · Asteraceae
📷 O. Pichard · CC BY-SA 3.0
⚠️ Feuilles et fleurs peuvent provoquer salivation, vomissements, diarrhée ou irritation cutanée chez chiens et chats ; le risque augmente avec la quantité ingérée.
The gardener's calendar
Yarrow is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, very finely divided and feathery
- Flowering
- June to September, flat flowers in pink, white or yellow umbels
- Adult size
- 60 cm tall × 45 cm wide
- Growth
- Fast
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -15 °C
- Origin
- Temperate Europe and Western Asia
- Soil type
- Well-drained, poor to moderately fertile
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Yarrow gradually deteriorates. Poor, well-drained soil, no fertilizer.
The common mistake
Enriching the soil or watering yarrow regularly thinking you're helping: it loses its compact form, stretches out, and stems flop over.
The pro's trick
Plant yarrow in deliberately impoverished soil (gravel, sand).
Care
Watering
Yarrow tolerates drought very well once established. Water moderately at planting, then gradually decrease. In the ground, occasional watering during extended summer is enough. Avoid excess moisture, which promotes disease.
Light
Place yarrow in full sun (at least 6 hours per day) for generous flowering and compact growth. In partial shade, the plant will become leggy and flower less abundantly. Full sun also intensifies flower colors.
Soil
Choose well-drained soil, preferably poor or moderately fertile. Overly rich soil causes exuberant growth and weakens the plant. Yarrow tolerates chalky soils and handles dry, stony ground well.
Pruning and maintenance
Deadhead spent flowers regularly to extend flowering. In late autumn, cut dry stems back to ground level. After winter, clean up dead debris. Light thinning every 2-3 years maintains good shape.
Fertilizer
No fertilizer is necessary. Excess nutrients promote lush foliage at the expense of flowering and make the plant more prone to disease. In very poor soil, a light compost application at planting is sufficient.
Diseases and pests
Yarrow is very resistant. Excess moisture can cause powdery mildew or rust; improve air circulation by removing central stems. Red spider mites may weaken the plant in very dry conditions; slightly increase humidity. No major pests typically affect it.
Did you know?
Yarrow owes its scientific name to Achilles, hero of the Trojan War, who used it to heal his warriors' wounds. Its extremely divided leaves resemble lace; the ancient Greeks actually cultivated it as a remedy.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
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- WormwoodArtemisia absinthium
- Dyer's chamomileCota tinctoria
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.