Yarrow Plants

Yarrow is an upright growing perennial herb. It can grow up to three feet tall depending on the variety. It displays clumps of small flowers from may through June. Most varieties of the yarrow plant will re-bloom if cut back after the flowers have gone by. This is a great plant for cut flowers and is also commonly used in butterfly gardens along with the Joe Pye Weed. The Yarrow plant prefers to be divided every other year and will start to thin if not divided. I usually divide in early fall or early spring. Achillia is the latin name for Yarrow and is a very drought tolerant perennial herb. For this reason it grows best in poorly developed well drained soil. If not planted in these conditions it may develop a little mildew or in extreme cases, root rot. When my yarrow gets a little mildew I usually cut it back to 6" from the ground. I try to let it bloom first. Yarrow plants will spread, which is another reason to divide it every other year or so. Yarrow is aso great perennial to plant on a bank to prevent soil erosion.