Common Yarrow, Western Yarrow, Yarrow, Milfoil, Achillea millefolium is highly variable and has been treated both as a single species with varieties and as multiple distinct species. A. millefolium is found throughout North America and is a complex of both native and introduced plants and their hybrids. Plant in an area that receives full sun to encourage compact growth and many flowers. In partial sun or shade, yarrow tends to grow leggy. Yarrow performs best in well-drained soil. It thrives in hot, dry conditions; it will not tolerate constantly wet soil.
Leaves are 3 to 5 in. long, and have a delicate, fern-like, lacy appearance. Fragrant blossoms are arranged in compact clusters. Thanks in part to its mat-like growth habit, self-seeding ability, and unfussy nature, the plant has proven to be an attractive, effective and water-wise alternative to lawn in some areas.
Used to break fever by forcing perspiration; to treat hemorrhaging; poultice for rashes. Native Americans make a tea from the leaves for stomach disorders. A welcome addition in a prairie & wildflower garden. According to the Mount Sinai Health Library it has been used for loss of appetite, indigestion or heartburn, as a diuretic, to increase urine flow, against menstrual cramps and pain, to deal with muscle spasms, inflammation and to fight infection.
SPECS: Genus: Achillea ; Species: Millefolium; Plant Type: Forb, Wildflower; Life Cycle: Perennial; Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade; Soil Moisture: Medium Dry, Dry; Height: 1′ — 3′; Spread: 1′; Plant Spacing: 1′ — 2′; Bloom Time: July — September; Bloom Color: Pink, White; Advantages: Birds, Erosion control, Lawn alternative; USDA Zone: 3 — 9; Attracts: Beneficial insects, Small black bees, Sweat bees; Tolerant: Drought; Plant Community: Companion & understudy plants: This yarrow is at home with other meadow or prairie plants such as butterfly milkweed, rudbeckia, daisies, purple coneflower and native grasses;
