Fernleaf yarrow is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the aster family (Asteraceae) that is native to central and southwestern Asia. It has also naturalized in parts of Europe and North America. This perennial does well in full sun in average well-drained soils. Do not over-fertilize or water. It is heat, humidity and drought tolerant. Fernleaf yarrow will grow 3-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide and does best in an area protected from winds. Divide as needed to prevent spread and overcrowding. Deadhead to promote additional blooms. Cut the flower stem down to the leaves to promote a neat appearance. The foliage of fernleaf yarrow is green with a fern-like texture and a strong spicy odor that forms an attractive basal clump. The yellow flat-topped clusters of flowers are up to 4 inches across. They consist of both disc and ray flowers and will appear most of the summer if deadheaded. Use this plant in the border, mass planted, in containers, in rock gardens or as a specimen. The flowers dry nicely and last a long time. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Diseases are stem rot, powdery mildew, and rust. Overwatering can lead to root rot. Some cultivars have shown a fair to poor amount of resistance to phytophthora (where fair is defined as less than half, and poor as more than half, of the plants studied dying of the disease). More information on Achillea .
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)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The foliage of Achillea filipendulina is green and has a fern-like texture with a strong spicy odor that forms an attractive basal clump of foliage.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Good Dried; Long Bloom Season; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Corymb
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Tiny, long-lasting, bright golden flowers (yellow rays and yellow discs) appear in dense flattened plate-like compound corymbs (to 4" across) throughout summer on stiff, erect stems rising above the foliage to 3-4' tall.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stems are stiff and erect, growing to 3-4' above the foliage.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Caucasus, Iran and Afghanistan
Wildlife value
Attracts butterflies and bees.
Attracts
Butterflies
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Easy to Grow