Several people are familiar with
the wild white yarrow with its flat clusters of flowers, but most garden
specimens are yellow, and some are pink or red. All have ferny leaves,
sometimes with a grayish cast. They are easy to grow and bloom for a long time
in summer. Most hybrids are varieties of Achillea millefolium or A. filipendulina,
“Moonshine” is a pale yellow with gray leaves and grows up to two feet.
“Coronation Gold” is bright yellow with greener leaves, and grows to three
feet. “Fire King” is two feet and pinkish red. “Gold Plate” is among the
tallest. A.tomentosa is a very pleasing low variety that forms a mat of whitish
leaves and has flowers less than a foot tall. It is nice in the rock garden or
at the front of the border. Yarrows are sun loving and drought resistant. Some
are rather spread and need to be divided frequently. All in fact benefit by
division every few years in fall or early spring.
