A Simple Guide To Growing Yarrow, Including Its Various Flowers And How To Cultivate Them

 Yarrow Flower

Yarrow Flower

Updated on 3/26/2024
Emma DowneyBy Emma Downey
Gardening Expert
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Do you want to give your garden a facelift but don't want to spend hours digging in the dirt? Grow some yarrow in your garden! These clumps of little blooms appear in various hues, and the leaves that surround them are delicate and fluffy. This tutorial will cover all to know about Yarrow and teach you how to cultivate these dainty blooms. Beautiful yarrows may grow all over the countryside, whether in gardens, roadsides, or grassy meadows. You are looking at a plant that requires very little maintenance, thrives in various environments, and produces hundreds of flowers throughout the whole summer.

Yarrow, a fragrant plant, is a magnet for many insects and birds, including hummingbirds, butterflies, and ladybugs. The colors of the blooms include white, yellow, pink, purple, red, and rose, and they brighten any part of your landscape. You may cut the blooms and dry them to use them later in arrangements like bouquets or vases. This plant is also helpful for therapeutic purposes. Our opinion is that you should not waste any time. The following provides comprehensive information on the cultivation and maintenance of yarrows.

Meaning Of The Yarrow Flower

yarrow-flower-meaning

yarrow-flower-meaning

Yarrows are known by their scientific name, Achillea millefolium, and acquired their common name, gearwe, from the Old English word gearwe. The name Achillea originates from the Greek hero Achilles, who, according to tradition, utilized the plant to cure his wounds and the wounds of his warriors during the Trojan War. As a result of the herb's abundant leaves, millefolium is Latin for “thousand-leaved.”

These vibrant blossoms are a sight for sore eyes, with colors ranging from brick red to lemon yellow and purplish-pink magenta to brilliant magenta. They are lovely for putting together in a bouquet and have the potential to be a present that is both attractive and meaningful.

The following are some of the most fundamental meanings of Yarrow:

  • Yarrow is known to have natural healing properties. People care for the recipient's well-being by giving them the blooms as presents, and the gesture is intended to be seen as a gift.
  • Protection: The flower was worn as a talisman or an amulet for religious reasons, and both were intended to ward off evil energy. Even in modern times, many people still think of yarrows as being protective and nurturing.
  • Positivity: The herbal scent that emanates from the plant can elevate one's spirits and usher in a state of positivity. Oils and essences are extracted from the plant in several ways, depending on the variety.
  • Many individuals give the flowers of this plant to other people as a symbol of their hope that the recipient will experience joy and light in their life.

The Meaning Of Yarrow Based On Its Colors

yarrow-meaning-colors

yarrow-meaning-colors

The flowers of Yarrow come in a rainbow of beautiful colors. But were you aware that each hue carries with it its particular connotation?

  • Whether in light pink, magenta, or rosy pink blooms, the color pink is associated with sensitivity and affection. Love is represented by the Apple Blossom and Cerise Queen types of roses.
  • Red denotes bravery, desire, and intense and consuming love. Paprika, Strawberry Seduction, and other red variations represent these qualities.
  • The color white is associated with purity and virginity, and the common yarrow flower is white.
  • Yellow: Yellow types, such as Moonshine and Coronation Gold, are often linked to joy and companionship.

Varieties Of Yarrow Flowers

Yarrow is one of the attractive plants that are the most tolerant, simple to cultivate, and versatile. The fragrant flower, a common plant for use in gardens, comes in around a thousand different kinds. Borders, flower beds, and herb gardens are familiar places where one could find it growing. Take a look at some of the kinds of Achillea millefolium most sought. Your summer garden would look very stunning with the addition of any of these.

1. Blossom Of the Apple Tree

apple-blossom-yarrow

apple-blossom-yarrow

The flower clusters of Apple Blossom yarrow range in color from a delicate pink to a pale rose. The plant thrives in bright light and produces flowers from the beginning until the end of summer. It matures to a height that is somewhere between 18 and 24 inches and grows at a rapid pace. It can survive for around ten years when circumstances are perfect. Your garden would benefit significantly from the addition of Apple Blossom, and it may also be grown in containers placed outside.

2. Rubra (Red)

Red-Achillea-millefolium

Red-Achillea-millefolium

With the vibrant flowers of red Yarrow, you may add a splash of deep color to your landscape. The mature plants may reach a height of between 12 and 30 inches and have flower clusters with flat tops that vary in color from deep carmine to dark pink. The blooms may be arranged into lovely bouquets, or they can be preserved as dried flowers and placed in vases. The variety of this attractive plant known as Rubra yarrow is among the most eye-catching in its diversity.

3. Cerise Queen

cerise-queen-yarrow

cerise-queen-yarrow

If you want an abundance of flowers in various colors of deep pink and magenta, the Cerise Queen Yarrow is the kind for you to grow. The striking blooms, bright white centers, and dark green leaves bloom from the end of spring through the beginning of summer. You'd like to have butterflies in your yard, but you don't know what to do? Plant Cerise Queen. This flower attracts butterflies like a magnet. Here are the top bee flowers that you should include in your bee garden if you want to attract more bees.

4. Moonshine

Moonshine

Moonshine

The evergreen Moonshine has a soft spot in the hearts of gardeners. You may blame it on its fragrant leaves, silvery-green color, and the vivid lemon blossoms with flat tops that develop throughout the summer. Moonshine has a perfect score because it is effortless to care for, and its an attractive appearance. This plant, despite its name, does not need any special care; all that is required of its caretaker is to place it in an area that receives enough sunlight and provides it with water.

5. Yarrow, Or Common Yarrow

common-yarrow-flower

common-yarrow-flower

This beautiful species of the plant produces numerous dome-shaped clusters of creamy-white flowers that, if allowed to wander free, have the potential to become a bit invasive. Under full sun and soil with good drainage conditions, Yarrow may reach up to three feet.

A helpful hint: Yarrow, also known as common Yarrow, is an excellent option for wedding bouquets and arrangements, and it is a delightful substitute for other flowers, often more costly.

6. Paprika Yarrow

Paprika Yarrow

Paprika Yarrow

Paprika Yarrow is a long-lasting hybrid cultivar that blooms in enormous clusters of dusty brick red flowers with a unique yellow eye. Paprika yarrow may be distinguished from other varieties of Yarrow by its yellow eye. The garden is given a lovely multicolored look due to the blooms' gradual fading into light pink and creamy yellow shades plant, respectively.

Tip: Paprika yarrow can bloom throughout the summer if it is given the right care and its spent flowers are removed.

7. A Delightful Apricot

Apricot Delight

Apricot Delight

The sweet-smelling plant Apricot Delight thrives in warm climates and produces flowers ranging from pale apricot to almost scarlet color. This yarrow cultivar is smaller than most other types, and as it gets older, it becomes various colors of peach and coral. It has a long flowering season that spans from early summer to late in the season.

8. Seduction With Strawberries

strawberry-seduction-yarrow

strawberry-seduction-yarrow

This particular Yarrow has flowers that are a deep strawberry red color with a brilliant yellow core, precisely like the seeds found on strawberries. When the crimson flowers are allowed to dry while still attached to the stalks, they become a beautiful shade of yellow.

A helpful hint: Strawberry Seduction may be used to make lovely flower arrangements using either fresh or dried flowers.

9. Summer Pastels

summer-pastels-achillea-yarrow

summer-pastels-achillea-yarrow

This hybrid provides a beautiful palette of blossoms in pastel colors, making it an essential purchase for the summer! The lighter colors' mauve, orange-red, pink, purple, rose, and salmon tones exude a pleasantly scented quality. The flower clusters are tightly packed, have flat tops, and bloom continuously throughout the summer. In keeping with its name, Summer Pastels is the ideal type to grow in your summer garden since it produces pastel-colored flowers. Your yard may end up looking more brighter and more colorful as a result of the addition of this feature.

10. Gold Of The Coronation

coronation-gold-yarrow-flower

coronation-gold-yarrow-flower

This Yarrow, which was given its name in honor of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, is distinguished by its stunning heads of yellow flowers. Flat, long-lasting blooms that bloom from late spring through late summer are accompanied by fern-like silvery gray-green foliage.

Note that the flowers maintain their color and may be dried without losing their quality. Because of reason, they are an excellent option for bouquets of any level of sophistication, from basic to elaborate.

11. A Brand-New Bottle Of Rose

new-vintage-rose-yarrow

new-vintage-rose-yarrow

This type is distinguished by its rose-pink blooms above its dense, green leaves. Because it keeps its form so well, it is an excellent choice for growing in pots. It is one of the most successful varieties of Yarrow for growing inside. In contrast to other achillea kinds, in which the color of the blooms gradually fades as they grow, New Vintage Rose yarrows mature into vibrant, appealing tones that will brighten your garden and any greenhouse you may have.

12. Lemonade With A Spicy Kick

Sassy Summer Lemon

Sassy Summer Lemon

Anyone would want to grow Yarrow with a name like that. This hybrid cultivar is extremely sassy, towering taller than the majority of achillea kinds and also having a more substantial presence than other achillea varieties. With its spectacular bright yellow flower heads, this species provides a lovely color palette that would be a welcome addition to any garden. This flower can be precisely what you're looking for if your landscape is missing some color here and there.

13. An Image Of Yarrow That You Have

Once you have successfully grown Yarrow using this advice, we would be delighted to post it on our website. You can email the photo to us and post a comment here with your name, where you're from, and how long it took you to grow the Yarrow. If you'd like to have your photo included on this page, please follow the instructions above. We'd be thrilled to get some feedback from you!

Instructions For Germinating Yarrow Seeds

how-to-grow-yarrow-from-seeds

how-to-grow-yarrow-from-seeds

Here are some of the easiest ornamentals to grow from seed. They need very little soil preparation, just a little amount of compost and a little bit of raking to smooth things out, and then all you have to do is scatter a handful of seeds and get on with your day. Yarrow seeds are often a joy to deal with because of the plant's adaptability to growing in a wide variety of environments. However, it is essential to sow them under optimal circumstances to get lovely and aromatic tufts of exquisite blooms that will bloom throughout the whole summer.

The following step-by-step instructions will walk you through growing Yarrow from seeds.

The First Step Is To Plant The Seeds Inside

You should start planting the yarrow seeds around six to eight weeks before the last spring frost. You might also seed them straight into the planting area at the beginning of the spring season.

Step 2: Plant The Seeds On The Ground

When planted indoors, the seeds should be scattered directly over the top layer of the soil.

Step 3 – Plant Them Well

Because the seeds must have some exposure to light to germinate, you must ensure that they are not planted too deeply in the soil.

Check The Temperature Of The Soil As The Fourth Step

Locations that are warm and sunny are ideal for yarrows. The soil's temperature range of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius (60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) is perfect for germination. You may wish to get a thermometer and check the temps more than once for safety's sake.

Step 5 – Avoid Moist Soil

You need to keep the soil from being too wet before spreading the seeds, and this might lead to the roots becoming rotten.

Use Some Plastic Wrap For The Sixth Step

The seeds will start to germinate between 14 and 21 days from now. You may also hasten the germination process by covering the area in which the seeds are to be planted with plastic wrap, which will help retain both the moisture and the heat. They need very little attention after the yarrow seeds have germinated and grown to maturity in your garden. They do not need to be fertilized, and the only time they need to be watered is during periods of drought.

Is Yarrow A Pestilent Weed?

Yes. If you let it grow in your garden, Yarrow will eventually become a weed, but it will bring you both benefits and drawbacks before that happens. Many people like its carefree character and its ability to adapt to various soil conditions. On the other hand, many people find its invasive tendencies to be a bit of a nuisance since, if uncontrolled, they may overrun the flowerbeds and take over the garden. In a nutshell, it is essential that after planting, adequate measures be taken to restrict the plant's growth away from the area in which it is intended to thrive.

Instructions for Growing Yarrow Indoors

how-to-grow-yarrow-indoors

how-to-grow-yarrow-indoors

Even though Yarrow thrives best in the great outdoors, it may be brought indoors and grown in containers or pots. However, before you get the plant within the walls, there are a few things you should bear in mind:

  • Make sure it gets direct sunlight for the majority of the day. In this manner, it will flourish.
  • Check that the pot or container you placed it in has enough space to handle the plant's thick roots.
  • Yarrows are not picky about their growing conditions and may thrive in soil that ranges from dry to medium moisture levels.
  • Once every two weeks, give the plant a thorough soaking of water.
  • This plant is not likely to be attacked by any insect, but you should be aware that excessive humidity and damp soils may lead to fungus on the leaves and cause the roots to rot.
  • If the plant starts to droop, prune it by two-thirds and provide it with additional water for a week or two to stimulate new development.
  • Growing plants in containers benefit from adding compost to the soil. However, this is not a need. Even if you don't use compost, your bloom should be OK.

Care For The Yarrow Plant

Yarrow Plant Care

Yarrow Plant Care

You must have realized that Yarrow is a plant that requires little to no maintenance. However, remember that "low maintenance" does not mean "no maintenance," and you should not equate the two terms. With just a little bit of TLC, the plant has the potential to brighten up your landscape. To do that, below are a few measures that need you to walk carefully.

Light

Ensure your plants get enough sunlight to produce healthy blossoms during summer. If it does not, the long and slender stems have the potential to grow rather drooping. And it is something that would be a shame, wouldn't it?

Soil

Because yarrows cannot survive in damp soil, you need to ensure that the ground where you plant them has enough drainage. The ideal conditions for growing yarrows are soils that are dry to medium and sandy clay or sandy and loamy. The plant is encouraged not to grow in nutrient-rich soils as they can cause uncontrolled growth. For more information on the types of soil on your property, see our guide to the different soil types.

Water

This plant can survive in dry conditions and needs very little water to thrive. It is important to provide moisture both when planting it and after you have divided it. However, beyond that point, if you water it an excessive amount, it will struggle and eventually topple over.

Temperature

The optimum conditions for growing Yarrow are warm climates, and this plant's weedy ancestry confers the ability to withstand extreme heat and humidity and prolonged periods of dryness. Therefore, you shouldn't be too concerned about the weather, at least not about the temperatures.

Fertilizer

Since yarrows are pretty low-maintenance plants, they often do not need any extra fertilization beyond what is already included in their diet. If you absolutely must, then providing your plant with a single yearly application of compost as a side dressing should be sufficient. If the development of the plant seems to be sluggish, you may apply a balanced fertilizer in the early spring before the plant begins to produce new growth. Please note that nutrient-dense soil might promote the spread of invasive species, and it's pretty unlikely that you desire.

Pruning

Don't be fooled by the yarrow plant's beautiful stalks; the plant has to be clipped regularly. During their growing season, the flowers will gradually lose their color. Removing spent flowers from a plant will make the plant more aesthetically pleasing and stimulate new flower growth. In high heat and humidity, the stems may begin to droop. Stems should be trimmed to prevent that. As was mentioned before, the plant has the potential to grow quite invasive under certain circumstances. The plant will remain in control with the aid of pruning since it will prevent it from self-sowing. You may get a better sense of how to prune yarrows by watching this video, which is provided for your convenience.

How to Prune a Yarrow Plant : Garden Space

Medicinal Applications Of Yarrow

Fresh-Yarrow-Infusion

Fresh-Yarrow-Infusion

This little plant has been recognized as an essential medicinal herb for treating a wide range of conditions even since ancient times. Native American medicine, Chinese medicine, and Ayurveda use it in their healing practices. It is known as "Soldiers' Woundwort," "Knight's Milfoil," and "Staunchweed" because it has a curative effect. Researchers have found that the plant benefits health in numerous ways. However, it is important to keep in mind that most research has been conducted on animals, and there is a need for more in-depth discoveries. The plant can be used to treat a variety of medical conditions, including wound healing, the alleviation of digestive disorders, the stimulation of menstruation, the assistance with sleep, the enhancement of the immune system, the reduction of anxiety, and the regulation of blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.

Take note that this herb is considered a natural "product" does not automatically imply that it is risk-free. You may be sensitive to it and experience allergic responses. Before you try to use it as a treatment, you should talk to your primary care provider.

How To Make A Cup Of Tea With Yarrow

how-to-make-yarrow-tea

how-to-make-yarrow-tea

Do you want to create some herbal tea to assist your digestion and protect you from getting a cold? Try drinking some yarrow tea. Tea is usually made from the dried white blossoms, even though the finished product may have a little bitter flavor.

  • The plant's dried blooms should be placed in a cup for later use, and you may also utilize the leaves in their entirety.
  • Pour water that is boiling over the top.
  • Allow the mixture to steep for ten to twenty minutes to extract the taste and essential oils.
  • The leaves should be strained.
  • Depending on your preference, honey or a slice of lemon may be added to the tea to sweeten it.

Benefits Of Yarrow For The Skin

One of the first known use of the herb was as a skin rejuvenator. Because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory characteristics, it helps calm skin that is prone to irritations. Extracts and essential oils derived from the plant are easily accessible to consumers. If you have irritated skin, you can reduce redness and speed up the rejuvenation process by adding yarrow extracts to your facial oil or cream. Additionally, the plant is often used as an astringent in organic skincare products.

Dangers Posed By Yarrow

When used medicinally, Yarrow is not known to pose any health risks and is not considered poisonous. However, there have been isolated reports of it triggering allergic responses in people. Certain animals, such as cats and dogs, can develop skin irritation, increased urination, vomiting, and diarrhea after contact with the toxic plant.

A Garden Essential For Those Who Think In Terms Of Yarrow

Despite its ancient use as a remedy, Yarrow has a relatively humble beginning because it is not very common for a roadside wildflower to end up as an ornamental plant in a garden. Despite their vibrant hues, yarrows are pretty simple to cultivate, which is one of the reasons they are so popular in gardens. Both outdoor and interior environments may benefit from their ornamental qualities. After drying, they make wonderful additions to bouquets for any occasion, but they are particularly well-suited for use in wedding bouquets and other floral arrangements.

Therefore, if you also consider yourself to be yarrow-minded at this point, you should bring this all-purpose, horticultural essential into your house. You'll have a good time watching it grow! Have any of the several kinds we presented to you piqued your interest? Could you please get in touch with us? Send us a remark or get in touch with us on one of our social media accounts. In the meanwhile, continue to plant things effectively!

Frequently Asked Questions

Yarrow Has Many Benefits. What Are They?

It is well knowledge that Yarrow has therapeutic use. The herb has been used for treating abrasions and wounds, and digestive problems like ulcers and IBS. The alleviation of toothache, the reduction of hypertension, and the treatment of fever, the common cold, diarrhea, hay fever, and gastrointestinal issues are some of the additional health benefits that this plant offers. It also reduces inflammation of the skin and the liver.

Is Yarrow Harmful To Human Beings In Any Way?

When consumed in low doses, such as in tea, Yarrow is perfectly safe to consume. However, taking too much of a drug can be dangerous. Caution: If you are pregnant, you should avoid consuming it since it may disrupt your menstrual cycle and increase your risk of miscarriage.

Is Yarrow Edible For Humans?

You certainly can include Yarrow in your diet to impart a spicy, peppery flavor to the food you prepare. You can prepare the leaves in various ways: as a vegetable, by boiling them and then allowing them to simmer in butter as a side dish, or simply by adding them to soups. Additionally, the blossoms may be used as a condiment in various foods, including salads.

Is It True That Yarrow Is A Perennial?

The plant in question is, in fact, a flowering perennial. Because of its minimal need for care, tenacity, resistance to pests, and tolerance of dry conditions, you can very much take it for granted that it is one.