Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Also known as: Pacific yarrow, boreal yarrow, coast yarrow, common yarrow, giant yarrow, western yarrow
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krym, Kuril Is., Labrador, Lebanon-Syria, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
Petar Milošević
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Achillea
- Species:
- Achillea millefolium
- USDA Symbol:
- ACMI2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, yellow, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
blackberry looper (Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria), Catocaline Dart (Cryptocala acadiensis), Lacinipolia olivacea, Northern Sallow (Homorthodes furfurata), Orthodes cynica, Paradiarsia littoralis, Pseudorthodes vecors, Sparganothis senecionana, Spotted Straw Moth (Heliothis phloxiphaga), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Striped Garden Caterpillar Moth (Trichordestra legitima), Voluble Dart (Agrotis volubilis), william's plume moth (Platyptilia williamsii)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brachymelecta californica, Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Nearctic Bumble (Bombus vancouverensis), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Northern amber (Bombus borealis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), Yellow bumble (Bombus fervidus), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Moths:Adela septentrionella, Currant Clearwing (Synanthedon bibionipennis), Grapeleaf skeletonizer (Harrisina americana), Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata) Butterflies:California Hairstreak (Satyrium californica), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Icaricia acmon, Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Variable checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona), Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, beneficial insects, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire or mowing. Common in fire-maintained grasslands and prairies.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- poor, sandy, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Light-dependent germination; seeds should be surface-sown or barely covered. Germinates best at 65-70°F.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds can be placed in 0-1°C (32-34°F) for a 10-day cold stratification treatment and then exposed to 22-25°C (72-77°F). Some protocols suggest no pre-treatment is necessary.
Establishment: There are variations in pre-treatment protocols, with some suggesting a cold stratification treatment while others suggest no pre-treatment is necessary. The germination temperature also varies slightly between protocols. The plant is a circumboreal species found throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months. Requires light / surface sow (fine seed).