Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Formerly Alitubus millefolium, Santolina millefolium, Chamaemelum millefolium
Common yarrow does best in full sun, though it also takes part shade. Its water use is rated dry to medium. The ASPCA lists this plant as toxic to cats and toxic to dogs. It is a herbaceous perennial in the daisy family, hardy in zones 3a to 9b.
Photo: Natalka Ukraine (baby-bear.org), CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Quick facts
| Light: | Full sun and part shade (full sun preferred)123 |
|---|---|
| Water: | Dry to medium221 source |
| Soil: | Well drained, occasionally dry and occasionally wet; pH 6–8311 source |
| Hardiness: | Zones 3a–9b11 source |
| Size: | 1–3.3 ft (0.3–1 m) × 1 ft (0.3 m)38 |
| Growth rate: | Rapid11 source |
| Bloom: | Apr–Sep, White and pink291 source |
| Cats: | Toxic to cats 71 |
| Dogs: | Toxic to dogs 71 |
| Native range: | AFG, ALB, ALT, AMU, AUT, BGM, BLR, BLT, BRY, BUL, CTA, CZE, DEN, EHM, FIN, FOR, FRA, GER, GNL, GRB, GRC, HUN, ICE, IRE, IRK, IRN, IRQ, ITA, KAM, KAZ, KGZ, KHA, KRA, KRY, KUR, LBS, MAG, MON, NCS, NET, NOR, PAK, POL, POR, PRM, ROM, RUC, RUE, RUN, RUS, RUW, SAK, SAR, SIC, SPA, SWE, SWI, TCS, TKM, TUE, TUR, TVA, TZK, UKR, UZB, WHM, WSB, YAK, YUG10 |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
How much light does a Common Yarrow need?
Full sun is the preferred light for common yarrow, which means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. It also grows in part shade. The light requirement is listed as sun to part shade, with full sun the preferred choice. A site with 6 hours of direct sun meets the stated minimum.
How often to water a Common Yarrow
Water needs for common yarrow run from dry to medium. Soil moisture is listed as dry, and water use is listed as medium. The plant tolerates drought, heat and humidity. Its soil drainage can be well drained, occasionally dry or occasionally wet. Root rot is recorded in too-wet soils. Clemson notes that the life span of yarrow is short in areas that remain wet.
Best soil for a Common Yarrow
Well-drained soil is where yarrow performs best, though it tolerates a range of soil conditions. The listed drainage classes are well drained, occasionally dry and occasionally wet. The listed soil pH is neutral, from 6 to 8. Salt, urban conditions and erosion also appear among its listed tolerances. Drought is tolerated as well. A reading anywhere between pH 6 and pH 8 falls inside the listed range.
Hardiness and temperature
The hardiness range for this plant is USDA zones 3a to 9b. Zone 3a is the coldest end of that range and zone 9b is the warmest. The lowest temperature recorded is -40 °F (-40 °C). Clemson notes that yarrow performs best in cooler climates, even though it is hardy through zone 9. Heat and humidity are both listed among its tolerances, along with drought.
Pruning a Common Yarrow
Deadheading, which means pruning off spent flowers, is the pruning type recorded for this plant. Doing it in mid-summer will extend the color show. The flowers you are removing are white and pink. Bloom time runs from April to September. No other pruning type is recorded for this plant.
- Pruning: Deadheading (Jul)3
How to plant a Common Yarrow
Plant common yarrow in USDA zones 3a to 9b. Choose a spot with full sun, which is 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. Allow about 1 ft (0.3 m) of width for each plant, the recorded mature spread. Expect a mature height of 1 to 3.3 ft (0.3 to 1 m). Well-drained soil suits it best. Its growth rate is rapid.
- Hardiness: Zones 3a–9b1
Winter care
Winter hardiness for this plant runs from zone 3a to zone 9b. The lowest temperature recorded is -40 °F (-40 °C). Clemson notes that yarrow performs best in cooler climates, even though it is hardy through zone 9. It is classed as a herbaceous perennial in the daisy family. No cited fact describes winter mulching or cutting back.
Care calendar
| Task | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prune | Prune in Jul | |||||||||||
| Bloom | Bloom in Apr | Bloom in May | Bloom in Jun | Bloom in Jul | Bloom in Aug | Bloom in Sep |
How to propagate a Common Yarrow
You can propagate common yarrow by seed or by division. An Oregon State University Extension source describes dividing yarrow often to populate large areas. Dividing the plant every 2 to 3 years is the interval given for it. A mature plant spreads about 1 ft (0.3 m) wide. Seed is the other recorded method.
- Propagation: Seed and division5
Common problems
The pests recorded for common yarrow are Aphrophora angulata and Corythucha marmorata. The diseases recorded are stem rot, powdery mildew, root rot and Phymatotrichopsis omnivora. NC State says stem rot and powdery mildew are rare. Clemson links yarrow's susceptibility to root rot and powdery mildew with a short life span in wet areas.
| Problem | Kind |
|---|---|
| Aphrophora angulata | Pest |
| Corythucha marmorata | Pest |
| Stem rot | Disease |
| Powdery mildew | Disease |
| Root rot | Disease |
| Phymatotrichopsis omnivora | Disease |
Is Common Yarrow toxic to cats and dogs?
The ASPCA lists common yarrow as toxic to cats. It also lists the plant as toxic to dogs. NC State Extension flags the plant as a problem for cats and a problem for dogs. The NC State listing does not state a severity for cats. For cats, the recorded position is toxic. For dogs, the recorded position is also toxic. This plant is a herbaceous perennial in the daisy family.
Pet-safe alternatives
Recommended supplies
- Soil: a free-draining mix, and a pot with a drainage hole.
Questions and answers
- Does common yarrow need full sun?
- Full sun is preferred, which means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. It also grows in part shade. It tolerates drought and heat as well. Its water use is listed as dry to medium.
- Is common yarrow toxic to cats and dogs?
- The ASPCA lists common yarrow as toxic to cats and toxic to dogs. NC State Extension marks it as a problem for both animals. No severity is stated for cats. The cat and dog positions are both listed as toxic.
- How often should I divide common yarrow?
- Dividing it every 2 to 3 years is the interval given. Division is one of two recorded propagation methods, along with seed. A mature plant spreads about 1 ft (0.3 m) wide. You can also propagate it from seed.
Sources
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/achillea-millefolium/. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=acmi2. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rain-garden-plants-achillea-millefolium-yarrow/. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/beginner-friendly-native-plants-for-south-carolinas-coastal-plain/. Accessed 28 October 2026.
- Oregon State University Extension Service. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/how-when-divide-perennials-healthier-more-productive-plants. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- EPPO Global Database. https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/ACHMI/pests. Accessed 12 October 2026.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/yarrow. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/achmil/all.html. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ACMI2. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (World Checklist of Vascular Plants). https://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/wcvp.zip. Accessed 4 June 2026.
How this page was made
- Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.