Achillea 'Paprika'

Achillea 'Paprika': Spicy Red That Mellows Into Pink

Cherry red with golden centres, then it fades to pink and cream like a spice rack that's been sitting in a sunny window. 'Paprika' adds heat to the border without burning anybody. SPRINKLE GENEROUSLY.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium 'Paprika'
• Common Name: Yarrow
• Height: 45–70 cm (1.5–2.3 ft)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (1.5–2 ft)
• Flowers: Ruby to cherry red with golden-yellow centres, fading to pink and cream with age
• Bloom Time: Early summer to early fall (June to September)
• Foliage: Medium green, fern-like and aromatic
• Features: Good for cut and dried flowers

Where to Plant: 'Paprika' suits sunny borders, cottage gardens, meadow-style plantings and pollinator beds. It spreads by underground stems to form a mat, so it's handy for filling space in a wild or naturalized area. Add a few to the cutting garden for fresh and dried bouquets.

Companion Plants: Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit' sits low in front with blue flowers from June to August. Agastache 'Blue Bayou' adds blue spikes at a similar height from midsummer to early fall. Behind them, Helenium autumnale grows up to 150 cm and keeps the hot colours going with yellow flowers into October. Plant it all in full sun for a long, warm season.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun in lean, well-drained soil. It tolerates dry soil and summer humidity, but rich, moist soil makes it sprawl, and heavy clay that stays wet causes trouble. Water during the first season while roots establish, then only during long dry spells. Cut back flower stems after the first flush to tidy the plant and encourage rebloom. Deadheading also limits self-seeding. Divide every two or three years in spring to keep it vigorous and in bounds.

History: 'Paprika' is one of the Galaxy group of yarrows, a wave of colourful cultivars bred in Germany in the 1980s. Their wild parent, common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), is a white-flowered meadow plant of Europe and Asia, with related forms native to North America.

Final Thoughts: Plant a few in your hottest, driest spot and watch the butterflies line up. Deer pass. NOBODY SENDS THIS ONE BACK TO THE KITCHEN.