Common Yarrow (Note: This is a perennial herb, not a tree)
Achillea millefolium · Herbaceous perennial
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Tree Category
Flowering Herb / Groundcover
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type (Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3 through 9
About This Tree
An upright, clump-forming herbaceous plant featuring feathery, fern-like foliage and flat-topped flower clusters (corymbs) composed of numerous tiny white to light pink disk and ray florets.
Leaf Characteristics
Alternate, bipinnately or tripinnately compound (millefolium meaning 'thousand leafed'), fern-like, 3-20 cm long, grey-green to dark green, and aromatic when crushed.
Bark Characteristics
N/A (Plant possesses herbaceous, semi-woody angled stems that are hairy/tomentose and light green to reddish-brown).
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Asia, North America)
Growing Season
Emerges in spring, flowers from late spring to early autumn, and goes dormant in winter; seeds ripen in late summer.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun preferred; low to moderate water needs; exceptional drought tolerance once established; prefers well-drained soil.
Mature Size
Typically 1 to 3 feet in height with a spread of 1 to 2 feet via rhizomes; fast growth rate.
Special Characteristics
Highly drought-tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, historical medicinal use for wound healing (hemostatic), and distinctive spicy/herbal scent.
Wildlife & Ecology
Attracts diverse pollinators including bees, butterflies (such as the American Lady), and hoverflies; provides nectar and seeds; serves as a host plant for several moth species.