Yarrow care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) wants full sun and a drink about every 10 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Achillea millefolium |
|---|---|
| family | Asteraceae |
| category | flower |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 10 |
| mature height cm | 75 |
| min zone | 3 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Yarrow?
Thrives on neglect and poor soil.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: medium. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no. USDA records its toxicity as slight.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is medium. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 8 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 6.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 8.0. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: no. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. It needs at least 120 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -38°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a rhizomatous form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in spring. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It spreads vegetatively at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 3.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 8 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in early summer. The flowers are white. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is fine. In summer the canopy is porous in porosity. In winter it is porous in porosity. Fall colour: no. The fruit or seed is brown. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by summer. It fruits medium. The fruit persists on the plant: yes. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02