Achillea millefolium
Family Asteraceae
Yarrow has ridden in first-aid kits since antiquity — the wound herb named for Achilles — and it still earns garden space with flat summer flower heads that pollinators treat as a landing field. Ferny foliage, long summer bloom, and a history longer than most nations.
Tough is the word: low water, poor soil, full sun, and it spreads by runners into a self-repairing mat 1-3 feet tall. Keep it as a working plant — for pollinators and the compost pile, not the salad bowl, and out of reach of grazing pets. Let it colonize a hot, dry strip.
Full Sun
Low water
Fast growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Our Plant Library collection carries yarrow — Achillea millefolium, print Nº 522, “Yarrow.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what yarrow actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-9Yarrow · Common problems
1 problem on file
None major
1 problem on file
Yarrow · Growing & propagation
LightWater
Soil
Fertilizer
PruningDeadhead to prevent seeding (if desired).
SpacingPropagateYarrow · Seasonal care & spray guidance
at bloom
1 job
HarvestingAt bloomCut the stems once every flower cluster has reached full size and color and the heads feel firm to the touch. Bundle the stems and hang them upside down in a warm, dry, well ventilated place such as an attic or shed for two to three weeks, until thoroughly dry. Heads cut before they firm up collapse and shatter as they dry, and yarrow only holds its color as an everlasting if it goes into dry moving air at peak.
the growing season
2 jobs
WateringIn summerOnce the plants have a season of roots on them, water only in prolonged drought. Keep yarrow in full sun on lean, well drained ground rather than in a bed that is irrigated on a timer. Yarrow is drought tolerant and is short lived wherever the soil stays wet, because constantly moist ground brings on root rot and favors powdery mildew.
What to watch forIn summerThrough summer look over the leaves for a white powdery coating and the stems for frothy spit. Open crowded clumps up by dividing or by cutting back whatever is shading them, so sun and air reach the foliage, and wash spittlebug foam off with a strong jet of water. Powdery mildew on yarrow is worse in shade and crowding, so sun and air movement are the real control. The spittlebug's foam is what shields it from UV and from predators, so knocking the foam off does the work a spray would.
autumn, and putting it to bed
2 jobsDividingIn autumnLift the whole clump in fall, pull or cut it into sections that each carry roots and shoots, throw away the old woody center, and replant the vigorous outer pieces at the same depth. Time the work for four to six weeks before your ground freezes so the divisions root in before winter; in cold zones that means early fall, not late. Water the divisions in and expect to repeat this every two to three years. Yarrow dies out from the middle as it ages, and once the crown is hollow the plant blooms less and carries smaller heads. Minnesota Extension puts spring- and summer-blooming perennials in the fall division window, and Clemson calls for dividing yarrow every two to three years.
PruningAfter harvestAs the first flush of flowers browns, cut the spent heads back to the next set of leaves or down to the basal foliage. Heads left standing set seed, and common yarrow seeds itself around aggressively on top of spreading by rhizome. Cutting them also prolongs the bloom on most cultivars.
Yarrow · Calculators & field guides
Yarrow · Yearly calendar
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneHarvestBloomJune to August
PruneMarch to May, then September to November
HarvestJune to August
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Yarrow · Ecology & uses
Achillea millefolium
AttractsMoisture
DeerProtect young plants
Origin! Some parts toxic — see notesToxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA) — vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, loss of appetite and dermatitis.
Traditional useStop bleeding
UseEdible value
Traditional use ratingFlowers/Leaves summer.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Yarrow · Varieties & cultivars
Named varieties of yarrow differ in winter-chill needs, ripening time, hardiness, and whether they set fruit on their own — pick one that fits your climate.
7 varieties
Needs a pollinizer
Clemson lists it as a fiery red hybrid, 1.5 feet tall, and sterile, so there is no danger of it spreading by seed in the garden.
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One of the oldest cultivars available; drifts of vivid fuchsia or cerise-red flowers on a 1.5 foot plant. Not sterile, so deadhead it to keep it from seeding.
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Red and yellow flowers on a flattened inflorescence rising from a 2 foot flower stalk.
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A Galaxy hybrid with rich red flowers and yellow centers on 2-3 foot stems. Clemson notes it performs better in zone 7 than other Galaxy hybrids, and that Galaxy hybrid stems resist lodging.
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A Galaxy hybrid with primrose yellow flowers on 2 foot stems; Clemson notes it performs better in zone 7 than other Galaxy hybrids.
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Lavender flowers on 2.5 foot stalks, described by Clemson as a striking mass of lavender. One of the taller cultivars, though Clemson lists 'The Beacon' at 2-3 feet as the tallest.
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Rose-red flowers on 2 foot stalks in midsummer.
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Sources & plant identity
Achillea millefolium
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Yarrow questions, answered straight.
With care. Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA) — vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, loss of appetite and dermatitis. Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
Flowers/Leaves summer.
Division or seed.
Where yarrow sits in the library.
Comfrey
Lavender
Rosemary
Anise Hyssop