Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium
Achillée millefeuille | Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium are a resilient, wide-ranging native perennial known for their finely divided foliage, long bloom period, and strong ecological function. They establish quickly and persist through dense, fibrous and rhizomatous roots that anchor soil, tolerate disturbance, and help reclaim degraded ground.

They bloom from early summer through fall, producing flat-topped white flower clusters that offer reliable forage for a wide range of insects. As a pollinator favourite and a core CropGuard species, they actively support beneficial predatory and parasitic insects that help stabilize garden and agricultural ecosystems without chemical intervention.

They tolerate an exceptionally broad range of soils, from sandy to clay, provided drainage is adequate. Once established, they are drought tolerant, deer resistant, and highly persistent. Their spreading habit is intentional rather than ornamental, making them well suited for grasslands, roadsides, restoration sites, and decolonizing disturbed spaces where resilience and function matter more than restraint.

They are native across much of Canada, though Alberta, Ontario, PEI, and Newfoundland & Labrador list them as introduced.

Growing details

• Sun: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil moisture: Medium to dry

• Soil: Well-drained sandy, loamy, or clay soils

• Height: 1–3 ft

• Bloom period: June to September

• Stratification: No treatment required

• Sowing: Surface sow, do not bury

Ecological roles

• CropGuard species

• Pollinator favourite

• Deer resistant
  

• Aggressive and persistent by design

Habitat: Grasslands, roadsides, open disturbed areas
Collections: CropGuard, deColonizer. Medicine Garden
Root type: Fibrous, rhizomatous
Approx. pack size: ~0.1 g | 150+ seeds