How to grow common yarrow – this drought tolerant perennial will bring vibrant, long-lasting color to your yard

Common yarrow, or Achillea millefolium as it is known botanically, is instantly recognisable for its tight, flat topped clusters of tiny blooms. Sitting on top of tall stems above soft, fernlike foliage, it’s a dramatic, summer flowering plant with an easy going, long-flowering nature.

One of the best perennials for pollinators and drought tolerant conditions, these architectural blooms make a great addition to any flower bed, prairie planting or even meadowscaping while providing valuable nectar and pollen for pollinators. Flowering from August onwards, common yarrow typically produces white, cream or yellow blooms when found in the wild, but recent horticultural breeding programs have led to dreamy shades of deep cerise, terracotta as well as soft apricot and lilac becoming readily available.

Here, we delve into the growing habits of common yarrow and share advice from professional growers on how to get the showiest and healthiest results.

How to grow common yarrow

Native to North America, Asia and northern Europe, common yarrow captivates with its flat dinner-plate style flowerheads comprised of dense clusters of tiny blooms. Coupled with a mass of soft, fernlike foliage this perennial makes a striking feature plant in any herbaceous, coastal or wild style border.

Growing habits of common yarrow

Sun loving yet tough, Achillea millefolium will thrive happily in USDA hardiness zones 3-8. Producing mounds of finely cut foliage from which the tall flower stems appear, this garden favorite adds dramatic and continual dashes of color to the late summer – fall garden. With some varieties reaching heights of 19 to 39 inches (50cm to 1m) with a spread of 4 to 19 inches (10-50cm) there’s plenty of choice for a whole host of different style and size plots.

‘Achillea, commonly known as yarrow, is a hardy and versatile perennial that thrives in a variety of garden settings. An excellent choice for dry, sunny gardens, this resilient plant is cherished for its ability to attract pollinators - especially hoverflies and butterflies - and provide vibrant color throughout the growing season,’ says Tabar Gifford, plant expert and High Country Gardens master gardener

Thanks to its dense spreading network of fibrous roots and rhizomes, this native perennial is robust and needs little long-term attention. One of a few plants that can help fix nitrogen into the soil, improving its overall fertility it can also prove a useful plant to boost your yard’s biodiversity.

‘Once established, Achillea is very drought tolerant and can be used successfully in xeriscaping environments,’ says plant expert Katie Sunderlage. ‘Achillea can bloom throughout the season as well with regular pruning and deadheading.’

Although the flowerheads have slightly musty aroma, it’s the deeply cut foliage that has the most distinctive fragrance. Astringent and bitter, thanks to the concentration of essential oils and flavonoids it can be useful in some herbal remedies and regarded as a useful pest repellent plant too. ‘Naturally pest-resistant and rarely troubled by deer or rabbits, yarrow also plays a vital role in supporting pollinators, with its flat-topped umbels serving as landing pads for butterflies and bees,’ adds Tabar.

If you want to introduce common yarrow to your yard, consider either buying young plants or raising your own from seed. Achillea millefolium seeds are available from Walmart.

Katie Sunderlage

Operations Manager at Holland Group, managing the customer service department and purchasing. Katie has been in the green industry since 2005 in the Greater Milwaukee area, earning her degree in Horticulture in 2008. She has been able to share her love for plants working in multiple garden centers, in sales positions and most recently in an online retail platform at Holland Group.

Care guide for common yarrow

Soil: A tough and adaptable perennial, common yarrow can be found growing in a variety of conditions and climates. ‘Achillea thrives in well-drained, lean, and even rocky soil, preferring dry, xeric conditions over moist or rich environments,’ says Tabar Gifford. ‘Yarrow performs well in climates ranging from the cold winters of Zone 3 to the heat of Zone 8, with selections like ‘Paprika’; and ‘King Edward’; excelling in tough environments, including clay soils.’

Light: Widely found growing on rocky mountainsides, cliff tops, along riverbanks and in meadows, common yarrow thrives in areas with high natural light levels. Most varieties require around six hours of sunlight a day to provide enough energy to support the tall flower stems and dense mat of spreading foliage. Without this, growth becomes weak and sappy, making staking essential. Each plant will produce fewer flowers too. However, there are some exceptions as Tabar continues, ‘Common yarrow is highly adaptable, with some varieties like ‘Peter Cottontail’ tolerating part shade, but full sun is ideal for promoting strong, upright growth and abundant flowering.’

Watering: Popular in xeriscaping and often found growing wild in barren locations such as mountaintops, ravines and prairies, this perennial is pretty undemanding. ‘As a drought-tolerant plant, yarrow requires minimal watering once established,’ says Tabar. ‘Overwatering or planting in heavy soil can lead to weak growth and floppiness.’

Fertilizing: While many herbaceous plants benefit from a regular feed during the growing season, resilient yarrow is pretty forgiving. In fact, too much liquid or granular feed can result in fewer blooms and lots of lush foliage, that can attract aphids and spittle bugs. ‘Generally, achillea doesn’t need much in the way of fertilizing,’ says Katie Sunderlage. ‘Top dressing or side dressing with nutrient rich compost in the Spring can encourage a healthy plant during the summer.’

Pruning: Although long flowering – often lasting from August through to November - give common yarrow a boost by regularly snipping off untidy growth and dead or fading blooms. ‘To maintain a tidy appearance and encourage continuous blooms, deadhead spent flowers, which can encourage a second flush of blooms later in the season,’ says Tabar. ‘Some varieties like ‘Peter Cottontail’ can be left intact to provide winter interest and feed songbirds.’

After the first frosts, foliage will wilt and appear straggly, at this stage garden designer Carissa Kasper suggests to ‘cut plants to ground level in late fall.’ Make light work of this garden task with Fiskars Traditional Bypass Pruner available at Walmart. For more insider tips, our guide on whether to deadhead yarrow has further detail.

Toxicity: Common yarrow, Achillea millefolium is known to be toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Human skin contact can result in irritation and a temporary rash.

Carissa Kasper

Carissa Kasper is a writer, gardener and entrepreneur at Seed & Nourish where she creates, coaches and cares for kitchen gardens and their cultivators. Carissa believes in the power of the kitchen garden to transform plants into nourishment and absence into discovery, and is passionate about teaching others how. When she is not gardening, you can find her writing – most recently in the Lonely Planet Travel Anthology.

Tabar Gifford

Tabar Gifford works as an High Country Gardens Master Gardener, and has a lifelong love for gardening and nature. With a background in environmental studies and sustainable community development, she enjoys combining her horticultural expertise with a commitment to education.

FAQs

What is best to grow alongside common yarrow?

One of the most popular and effective pollinator friendly blooms, common yarrow certainly earns its place in any wild garden or meadow patch. Team it with other poor soil, sun-loving perennials such as cheery helenium, bold coneflower, soaring salvias and uplifting asters. For a one-season-only display consider pairing Achillea millefolium with free-flowering annuals including Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens', the intriguing Ammi visnaga and vibrant California poppies.

Common yarrow is a smart choice for any low maintenance drought tolerant planting plan. Providing a spectacular late summer floral display, they can also be enjoyed inside the home either dried or as long-lasting cut flowers. You can discover the best vases for showcasing your homegrown blooms in our expert-led curated list.