Stenchgrass Achillea

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.