Nursery / Perennial
Achillea millefolium

Yarrow

One of the most important plants in a permaculture design - it attracts beneficial predatory insects, draws up nutrients from deep soil, and tolerates drought and mowing.

Yarrow

Yarrow does more quiet work in a landscape than almost any other plant we sell. Its ferny foliage and flat-topped flower clusters draw in parasitic wasps and other predatory insects that target aphids and caterpillars, functioning as a form of built-in pest management for everything planted nearby.

It also acts as a dynamic accumulator, drawing minerals up from deep in the soil and making them available at the surface as the foliage breaks down. Combined with genuine drought tolerance and a long history of medicinal use, this is a plant that earns its space many times over for very little input.

Common questions

Before you plant.

  • What does it actually do for the rest of my garden?It draws in predatory insects like parasitic wasps that help control aphids and caterpillars on nearby plants - a genuine, low-effort pest management tool.
  • Does it need much water?Almost none once established. It is genuinely drought tolerant.
  • Can it handle being mowed?Yes - it tolerates mowing well, which is part of why it works so well in meadow or naturalized plantings.
  • Is it actually medicinal?Yes, yarrow has a long history of herbal use, though we recommend researching preparation and use carefully before consuming any medicinal plant.
  • Is yarrow deer resistant?Yes. Its aromatic foliage is rarely browsed.
  • Can I use it in a lawn?Yes. Low-growing yarrow is a common part of lawn alternatives and handles occasional mowing.

    • Planting & Growing Information

    Ships as
    Plug, 4-inch, 1-gallon, division
    Hardiness zone
    3-9
    Mature height
    1-3 ft
    Water needs
    Very low once established, drought tolerant
    Sun / shade
    Full sun
    Bloom season
    Late spring through summer, white to pale flower clusters
    Care
    Essentially none - tolerates mowing and neglect
    Attributes
    Native, dynamic accumulator, medicinal, attracts beneficial predatory insects
    Ships to
    Most US states. We do not currently ship live plants to California, Arizona, Hawaii, or Florida due to state agricultural restrictions. Local pickup is available in Great Falls, Virginia.
    Plants that pair well

    Good company
    for your yarrow.

    Echinacea
    Echinacea
    Another tough native perennial with overlapping bloom time and pollinator draw.
    Pawpaw Tree
    Pawpaw Tree
    Understory planting that helps manage pests around young fruit trees.
    Blackberry Bush
    Blackberry Bush
    The predatory insects yarrow attracts help protect blackberry from aphids and caterpillars.
    Yarrow

    The hardest-working
    plant in the border.

    Yarrow's flat flower heads are landing pads for the small beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps, lady beetles and hoverflies, that hunt aphids and caterpillars on nearby plants.

    It is also as tough as perennials come: drought-tolerant, happy in poor soil, and able to take mowing in a meadow or lawn alternative.

    We grow the common white-flowered form, suited to meadows, orchard understories and pollinator beds.

    • PlugsThe economical way to establish yarrow across a meadow or orchard floor.
    • Pots4-inch and 1-gallon plants for beds and borders.
    • DivisionsEstablished clumps for an immediate effect.
    • Current stockInventory varies by season and batch. Contact us to confirm what is available now, and in what size.

    What to know before you buy

    Plant in full sun and lean, well-drained soil. Rich soil makes yarrow floppy.

    Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart. It spreads by runners to fill in.

    Cut back spent flowers to encourage a second bloom, or leave them for winter structure.

    Yarrow is a well-known medicinal herb, but read up carefully before using any plant medicinally.

    Sizes and formats

    What we ship.

    Plants ship in the dormant seasons, late fall and early spring, with local pickup in Great Falls. Availability changes by batch, so ask if you need a particular size.

    Yarrow
    Yarrow
    Achillea millefolium
    Tough, drought-tolerant yarrow that draws beneficial insects to protect nearby crops.
    NativePollinatorPerennial
    Available as: plug, 4-inch, 1-gallon, division
    Wholesale and bulk

    Planting at scale.

    We supply landscapers, nurseries, farms and larger residential projects with yarrow in quantity. Stock is seasonal and limited, so get in touch ahead of your planting window and we will plan around your order.

    Ask about wholesale →
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    Planning an orchard, guild or garden around this plant? An on-site consult in the DC area starts at $250, a written Remote Strategy at $1,500, or start small with a free guide.