Tip #4: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow delivers an essential combination of delicate beauty and rugged durability. The plant features aromatic, fern-like foliage topped with large, flat umbels of tightly packed tiny flowers. These flat floral landing pads provide an irresistible resting spot for beneficial insects, including ladybugs and hoverflies. Because the finely cut leaves reduce the surface area exposed to the sun, Yarrow effectively minimizes moisture evaporation.
You can successfully cultivate Yarrow in USDA Zones 3 through 9. They typically grow two to three feet tall, providing excellent mid-border height for your landscape beds. As quintessential xeriscape plants, they require virtually no supplemental irrigation once their root systems take hold. A mature Yarrow plant easily withstands weeks of zero rainfall without showing a single sign of stress.
Space your Yarrow plants about one to two feet apart to guarantee proper air circulation, which prevents powdery mildew during humid spells. After the first massive flush of blooms fades in mid-summer, cut the entire plant back by half. This aggressive pruning technique stimulates a fresh wave of vigorous green growth and a second spectacular show of flowers just before autumn arrives.
