Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Achillea

Species:

Achillea distans

USDA Symbol:

ACDI6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, beneficial insects

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire disturbance. Common in post-fire recovery communities in sagebrush steppe ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, rocky or sandy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to alpine and subalpine meadows

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow or barely cover with soil.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI