Common Name: yarrow
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 3 to 8
Height: 2.50 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.50 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flower: Showy, Good Cut, Good Dried
Leaf: Fragrant
Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Dry Soil
Culture
Best grown in lean, dry to medium moisture, well-drained sandy loams in full sun. Does well in average garden soils and tolerates poor soils as long as drainage is good. Avoid heavy clays and moist, rich, fertile soils. Plants are best sited in locations protected from strong winds. Deadhead spent flower heads to lateral buds to promote additional bloom. Cut plants back to basal leaves after flowering to tidy the planting and to encourage new foliage growth and a possible additional fall bloom. Divide clumps as needed (every 3-4 years) to reinvigorate plantings.
'Coronation Gold' tolerates hot, humid summers and drought, and is considered to be one of the best yarrows for the St. Louis area. Although the tough stems of this hybrid are stiff, they do have a tendency to flop, particularly if grown in less than full sun or in overly rich soils.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Achillea is a genus of about 85 species of mostly herbaceous perennial from the Northern Hemisphere. Several hybrids are available.
The genus name Achillea refers to Achilles, hero of the Trojan Wars in Greek mythology, who used the plant medicinally to stop bleeding and to heal the wounds of his soldiers.
'Coronation Gold' is an upright, clump-forming hybrid yarrow which is noted for its deeply-dissected, fern-like, aromatic, silvery to gray-green foliage and its tiny, long-lasting, bright mustard-yellow flowers which appear in dense, flattened, plate-like, compound corymbs (to 4" across) throughout the summer on stiff, erect stems typically rising 2-3' tall. Foliage has a strong, somewhat spicy aroma which persists when used in dried arrangements. Generally considered to be a cross between A. filipendulina and A. clypeolata. Foliage resembles that of the A. filipendulina (fern-leaf yarrow) parent, but plants are more compact.
Problems
Botrytis, stem rot, powdery mildew and rust are occasional disease problems. Taller plants may need staking, particularly if grown in less than full sun. Strong summer rain storms with high winds can flatten exposed plantings. Does poorly in wet sites or in heavy, poorly drained soil.
Uses
Specimen, group or mass. Borders. Cottage gardens, wild gardens, naturalized areas or meadows.