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Overview
Achillea hybrids are tall and vigorous, sun loving perennials with soft, feathery, aromatic dark green foliage and flat headed flowers that bloom in late spring and summer.
Achillea are useful herbaceous border plants providing attractive clumps of foliage and plenty of colour throughout the season.
Flower heads can be cut for bright fresh indoor summer colour or and dried when they maintain their colour through winter.
Very good in cottage gardens, plant with heleniums, day lilies, Japanese Anemonies, Iris and Salvias.
Many colourful hybrids are available including:-
Achillea 'Cloth of Gold'
Achillea 'Cotton Tuft'
Achillea 'Moonshine'
Achillea 'Paprika'
Achillea 'Salmon Beauty'
Achillea 'Terracotta'
Achillea 'Wallter Funke'
Achillea 'Pretty Belinda'
Achillea 'Anthea' - Pale yellow flowers
amongst many others
Soil: They are tolerant of poor soils but will do well in an open sunny position in well drained loams.
They are known to be quite drought resistant and therefore easy to maintain.
Maintenance: Fertilise in spring but beware of it's overly vigorous nature as it will spread rapidly by underground rhizomes and can become invasive if not controlled.
Best to keep trimmed and divide the well established clumps.
Diseases: Generally not troubled by pests or diseases.
Other Species: 85 species in the genus of Achillea including:-
Achillea ageratum – Sweet Yarrow, Sweet Nancy, English Mace
Achillea alpina – Chinese yarrow or Siberian yarrow
Achillea atrata – Black Yarrow
Achillea filipendulina – Fernleaf Yarrow
Achillea maritima
Achillea millefolium – Milfoil, Yarrow, Bloodwort, Sneezeweed, Nosebleed, Soldier's Woundwort
Achillea nobilis – Noble Yarrow, Creamy Yarrow
Achillea ptarmica – Sneezewort
amongst others.
Comments: Named after the greek god, Achilles who used the plant for medicinal purposes including reduction of fever.
The dried leaves and flowers have also been used as an alternative to tobacco in Europe and the cut foliage makes a great starter for composts.
Author: Bob Saunders.