Yarrow is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family (Asteraceae) and are native to North America, Asia and Europe depending on the species. There are many species and hybrids of yarrows and some are evergreen. The Genus was named after the Greek mythical character Achilles whose army was said to use yarrow to heal wounds. These plants can grow from 1-4 feet with a similar spread or more. They are generally drought tolerant and prefer full sun in well-drained soils and tolerate poor soil. Do not overfertilize or water. Wet soils will cause rot rot. In warmer climates, they may be evergreen. They spread by seeds and rhysomes and some can be aggressive. Propagate by division. Most yarrows have flat-topped blooms in the summer and come in yellow, white, pink, orange or red. Deadheading will encourage more blooms to appear, aid in a neater appearance and reduce the number of seeds. They generally have attractive feathery aromatic leaves. These plants can be used at the front of the border, in a cutting garden, a pollinator garden, as a ground cover and used dried. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Rust, stem rot and powdery mildew may affect the plants' health. Weak stems may cause the plant to dislodge.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Erect; Horizontal; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Fronds
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf value
Fragrant; Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Pale green, delicate, fern-like foliage has a spicy aroma that will remain even after drying.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Corymb; Head
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Common Yarrow has dense, white flower heads that appear in compact clusters at the top of the stem. The flower head has 20 to 25 ray flowers. Other varieties may have colors including gold, white, pink, and cerise red. Their bloom season is from late spring, summer, into fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit detail
Achenes contain a single seed
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Each stem contains one or more flower heads.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Europe, western Asia, North America
Wildlife value
Butterflies and songbirds are attracted.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Play value
Attracts Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Achene
Uses (ethnobotany)
Has been used medicinally, especially in wound healing.