Specialty & folk herb · Growing guide

Common Yarrow

Achillea millefolium · Aster family

Common Yarrow is a spreading specialty & folk herb grown for pollinator, perennial, and native option. Use this guide to match its light, water, soil, space, seasonal care, and safety needs.

Botanical field illustration of Common Yarrow
Identity-specific botanical field illustration
Reliable light
Full sun
Water pattern
Low
Mature size
30 × 30 in
Final spacing
24 in
Season
perennial

Plant identity, types & settings

One plant guide. Clear details underneath.

Common Yarrow is the plant identity. Container, landscape, cutting, indoor, hydroponic, and harvest labels describe ways to grow it; they are not additional plant or cultivar names.

Ways to grow it

These are garden or production settings—not cultivar names and not extra plants.

Growing context

Contained Container

Use a dedicated container to control roots and prevent accidental mixing with culinary herbs.

Mature size
28 × 17 in
Spacing
13 in
Container
4+ gal · 16+ in deep
Use this setup in the planner →
Growing context

Garden Specimen

Use a labeled permanent position and manage seed or rhizome spread.

Mature size
36 × 24 in
Spacing
24 in
Container
5+ gal · 16+ in deep
Use this setup in the planner →

01 · Light & site

Give it the light its growth depends on.

Full sun, with roughly 6 to 8 hours of useful light. Perennial timing and winter survival are region-specific

02 · Water & soil

Keep roots supplied without trapping water.

Allow surface drying after establishment and avoid saturated soil.

Soil
Loose, organic garden soil
Drainage
Well drained
pH
Species-dependent, commonly mildly acidic to neutral

03 · Spacing & roots

Make room for the mature plant.

Space plants about 24 inches apart. Expect a mature plant around 30 inches tall by 30 inches wide.

Spreading roots or runners can extend beyond the visible crown.

04 · Start

Begin with the method that protects establishment.

Use a healthy transplant, division, slip, or crown suited to the species.

05 · Care

Support healthy growth through the season.

Usually self-supporting at the stated mature size. Add a discreet stake only if wind, bloom weight, or an exposed site makes it necessary.

Upkeep
Low
Feeding
Low
Watch for
Powdery mildew, Root rot, Aggressive spread

06 · Flower or harvest

Flowering and wildlife value

Flowers after establishment. Grow it for botanical interest and keep it clearly labeled. Historical or cultural use does not establish safe ingestion or medical benefit.

07 · Safety

Know the cautions before you place or use it.

  • Native status, spread, and cultivar ecology vary by region.
  • Can spread vigorously in favorable sites.

08 · Sources

Check the evidence behind the guide.

NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBotanical identity, growth habit, plant selection, wildlife value, and common problemsOpen source ↗University of Minnesota Extension: Companion planting in home gardensEvidence-aware interplanting, succession, biodiversity, and trap-crop contextOpen source ↗USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Cooperative ExtensionNational extension framework and local verification pathwayOpen source ↗

Guide record: July 20, 2026. Region, cultivar, regulations, and current product labels can change the right decision.

Working checklist

Common Yarrow planting check