Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium: Lacy White Heads, Tough as Gravel

The original yarrow, native to Ontario and Quebec, and it has survived every lawnmower, dry spell and bad winter this country could throw at it. Soft ferny leaves, flat white flowers. GRANDMA'S PLANT. GRANDMA WAS RIGHT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
• Common Name: Yarrow, Common Yarrow
• Height: 60 cm (2 ft)
• Spread: 60 cm (2 ft)
• Flowers: Flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers
• Bloom Time: Early to midsummer (June to July)
• Foliage: Soft, finely divided, fern-like green leaves with a pleasant scent when brushed

Where to Plant: Common yarrow belongs in meadow plantings, pollinator gardens, naturalized slopes and dry corners where little else wants to grow. It copes well with the hot, lean soil along driveways and boulevards. It spreads by underground runners and can self-seed, so give it room in a meadow rather than a tidy border.

Companion Plants: Set Gaillardia SpinTop® Mariachi Red Sky in front, where its red daisies bloom from June to September. Perovskia 'Blue Jean Baby' brings lavender spires just behind, taking over as the yarrow finishes in July. For height, Liatris pycnostachya sends up purple wands up to 150 cm from July to September. It's a sunny, tough planting with flowers all summer long.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in lean to average, well-drained soil. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal; rich, wet soil makes it flop. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. No fertilizer needed. Cut spent flower stems back to keep it tidy and reduce self-seeding. Cut back in late fall or early spring. Divide every two or three years in spring to keep the clump in check.

History: Common yarrow grows wild across much of the Northern Hemisphere, including fields, meadows, shores and rocky ledges in Ontario and Quebec, and has a long history in traditional medicine for stopping bleeding. The genus honours Achilles, and millefolium means "thousand leaves".

Final Thoughts: Plant it for the pollinators, plant it for the hot dry corner, plant it because the deer will leave it alone. HOMEGROWN AND HARD AS NAILS.