Achillea

Botanical/Latin
   Achillea

Pronunciation
   ah-kil-lee-ah

Common Name
   Yarrow

Hardiness zone range
   3 - 8

General Comments
Achilleas, reliable stalwarts of the summer perennial border, have fine feathery, aromatic foliage and long lasting, flattened heads carried on stiff stems. They begin flowering in the early part of summer and extend through mid-summer, sometimes into early autumn.

Uses
Achilleas rank among some of the easiest and most rewarding of perennials to grow. They are excellent middle-of-the-border plants, making impressive statements when grouped together in beds or borders; taller cultivars can be placed towards the back of plantings and the shorter ones used in rock gardens or raised beds. They make good seaside plants, positively enjoying the sandy, free draining soils and tolerating the windy drying conditions.

Achilleas make wonderful cut flowers and can be used either fresh or dried (See Splendor Suggestions for details). Deer usually avoid the aromatic and bitter tasting foliage while butterflies and humming birds are attracted to the nectar bearing flowers.

Light Preference
Full Sun

Culture
Achilleas top the list of easy-to-grow perennials, performing well in most soil conditions providing they are well drained. They are perfectly equipped to thrive in light sandy or gravelly soils and to cope with dry summer conditions. They will even perform reasonably well in impoverished poor soils. Generally free from pest and disease problems, they require little maintenance except for removing old flower stems after flowering. It is also a good idea to dig up and divide the clumps about every 3 or 4 years; this helps to keep them vigorous and healthy. Be careful not to over fertilize. They are better kept on a lean diet and while they tolerate drought well, they respond to watering and good culture with added lushness and extra flowering.

Background
About 100 species occur in temperate parts of the world, growing in open pasture, hillsides and rocky places. Ancient civilizations believed in their medicinal qualities and a multitude of remedies and legends sprang up. The botanical name comes from Greek mythology. The warrior leader Achilles is said to have used it to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers and the common names Soldier's Woundwort, Knight's Milfoil are derived from its use on the battlefield.

The widely used common name Yarrow is a corruption of its Dutch and Anglo-Saxon names (yerw) and (gearwe). Yarrows became garden favorites during the Victorian era and bold flowered clumps formed an integral part of the famous perennial border. Towards the middle of the last century, English hybrids 'Moonshine' (raised by Alan Bloom) and 'Coronation Gold' (a seedling named to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth) were introduced. They surpassed older, taller varieties and are acknowledged today as the best yellow-flowered hybrids.

In Germany, K. Foerster and W. Kikillus developed a range of hybrids with exciting new colors; their compact habit, and continuous flowering characteristics combine with their ease of culture to appropriately represent a range of exceptional garden plants that bear the name of one who was almost invincible.

Splendor Suggestions
Achillea flowers dry well, holding their color and lasting for months and months. Harvest the stems when the flowers are fully formed, remove the leaves and tie them in bunches and hang upside down in an airy place to dry. They make superb dried arrangements. Achillea 'Coronation Gold' is especially good for this.

Companion Plants
The flat flower heads combine well with the upright habit and spiky flowers of Agastache 'Blue Fortune' (Mexican Hyssop) and Salvias (Meadow sage) like S.'East Friesland', 'Blue Hill' or the wonderfully dark violet-blue of S. 'May Night'.Ornamental grasses like Miscanthus or Pennisetums provide a similar effect, and the bold daisy-like flower heads of Echinacea 'White Swan' (Cone flower) and Leucanthemums (Shasta Daisies) give a nice definition to a planting.

Lavandula (lavender) and Oreganum 'Herrenhausen' (Ornamental Oregano) blend nicely as herbal planting partners enjoying the same growing conditions.