Yarrow
Achillea
Yarrow blooms from June through September.
Everything this page states about the plant was checked against named botanical sources, the bloom months and the water need among them, with what the sources could not settle written down.
Growing Yarrow
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–9. Expect it to reach about 2.3 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Yarrow
Plant Yarrow in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 3 to 9 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Comes in 11 varieties across 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Yarrow
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
The ASPCA lists yarrow as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating it causes vomiting, diarrhea, colic and drooling, an upset stomach rather than organ failure. per ASPCA
Worth knowing
Rich soil backfires here: it makes yarrow flop open and grow loose, while lean, dry, poor ground keeps the plant compact, better-flowering and longer-lived. per NC State
Hardiness varies by source
Sources split on hardiness. NC State and Illinois give zones 3 to 9; Clemson rates it 4 to 8, noting heat stress in zones 7b to 9. per NC State and Clemson
Feeds beneficial insects
The flat flower heads are a landing pad that feeds not just bees and butterflies but beneficial predators: lady beetles, lacewings, hoverflies and parasitoid wasps that eat garden pests. per Clemson
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits generally leave yarrow alone. The aromatic, alkaloid-rich, strongly scented foliage deters browsing, which is why it holds up in gardens where deer are a problem. per NC State
Spreads; divide every few years
Yarrow spreads by rhizomes and self-seeding and can naturalize into weedy clumps. Deadhead to limit seeding and divide the clump every two to three years to stay in bounds. per NC State
Handle with gloves
Yarrow can trigger allergic contact dermatitis. The culprits are sesquiterpene lactones in the foliage, so wear gloves when you cut or handle it to avoid a skin reaction. per NC State and Contact Dermatitis
What pairs well with Yarrow
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Goldenrod
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Aster
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Fountain Grass
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months.
Pampas Grass
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 8.2 ft, for the layer behind it.
Lilac
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 9.8 ft, for the layer behind it.
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