Yarrow

Description

Commonly known as yarrow or common yarrow, Achillea millefolium is a hardy perennial herb thriving in both wet and dry areas, such as roadsides, meadows, fields, and coastal sites with disturbed soil. This versatile garden plant is excellent for both birds and insects, supporting local biodiversity with its abundant flower heads and feathery, glaucous foliage.

Found across Europe, Asia, and North America, Common Yarrow is often used in landscaping for its attractive clusters of white flower heads and distinctive feathery foliage. It grows well in most soil types, including clay soil, and has a rhizomatous growth form reminiscent of ferns. Achillea millefolium typically reaches 2-3 feet in height and prefers well-drained soil in temperate regions throughout the UK. Once established, it tolerates dry soils and is relatively drought-resistant, although it thrives best in well-drained soil conditions.

Medicinally, yarrow is valued for its role in wound healing and its blood pressure-lowering properties. The basal leaves contain salicylic acid and anti-inflammatory phenols, contributing to yarrow’s traditional use as a natural remedy. It is renowned for promoting cardiovascular health and has been employed as an anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and diuretic herb.

In the garden, Achillea millefolium is a superb companion plant in veggie or fruit patches, attracting beneficial aphid-eating insects like parasitic wasps, ladybirds, and hoverflies that help protect your food crops. Its deep roots also play an important role in stabilising soil in areas susceptible to erosion.

Available as Achillea millefolium seeds, plugs, and 9cm pots, this resilient plant combines ornamental beauty, practical gardening benefits, and traditional medicinal properties, making it a valuable addition to any wildlife-friendly or herb garden.