Achillea Plant
Achillea Plant – The Yarrow And Others
There is more than one type of Achillea plant, in fact the list is a rather long one. The Impatiens is one species found in many gardens (Achillea Impatiens), as is the Sneezeweed (Achillea Ptarmica). The best known Achillea plant however is the Common Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium). There are several types of yarrow, but Common Yarrow is the one seen most often, in gardens as well as in the wild.
Achilles Did Play A Role - If you suspect an association exists between the Achillea plant and the Greek warrior Achilles, you are correct. The association had nothing to do with Achilles’ heel however. Achilles learned about the plant and its medicinal properties from Chiron, and expert on medicinal and botanical matters. One might think the plant should have been named after Chiron and not Achilles, but Chiron was a centaur, plus was not nearly as famous as Achilles, at least according to Homer and his "Iliad".
Most sources cite Europe and Eurasia as being the native habitat of the Achillea plant, even though several species have for a long time been naturalized in North America. It's a well known fact however, that many native Americans, especially members of the Plains tribes were familiar with Achillea Millefolium, Common Yarrow, and used the plant for various medicinal purposes. The term millefolium by the way means "thousand-leafed" with reference to the fine fern like characteristics of the leaves.
Bright Blossoms - Most Common Yarrow plants we see in the wild have white blossoms and are generally thought of as weeds, though rather attractive ones. Seen up close, the plant is even more attractive, and especially so with those varieties having yellow blossoms. The yellow is a very bright yellow and remains that way for several weeks. If your taste in flower color is in a purple, there is a yarrow type that has purple blossoms as well. Pink is another of the more common colors this plant displays. As long lasting as the flower heads are, they will eventually turn brown. If the heads are removed at this point, the plant will often offer a second bloom later in the summer. The flower heads, or inflorescence, are flattened to dome shape clusters of tiny blossoms which sit atop stalks which, according to the particular species, range in height from a few inches to between 3 and 4 feet. The stalks tend to be somewhat woody and quite strong, and as such make the yarrow an excellent and long lasting cut flower. As strong as the stalks may be, some species having large flower heads may need to be staked to keep the stalks from bending when the flowers get wet.
In some places the Achillea plant may become invasive but in general, though it will spread at the roots or rhizomes or seed itself, it will not spread rapidly. Achillea plants in general, and the Yarrow in particular, are among the hardiest of perennial plants, and are found in every state of the Union and every province in Canada.
Planting Achillea - Nearly all species of the Achillea plant are easy to grow, and are usually grown from seed. Seedlings or pots of the Yarrow, Impatiens, and Sneezeweed often are available in nurseries if planting by that method if preferred. Achillea plants can be propagated by dividing the rhizomes. The rhizomes are normally set in the soil at a depth of 6” to 8”. The plants themselves are hardy to nearly -40 degrees F. When planting from seed, thin out the seedlings to about 12” apart. The mature plants will often spread to nearly a foot at the base, and even more as they mature. This plant is attractive both in a formal garden, a cottage garden, or in a woodland setting, though in the latter case should be placed where it can get full sun.