Achillea- How to Grow and Care for

An easy to grow, much loved perennial which will add a pop of colour to your borders. Each flat flowerhead is comprised of hundreds of tiny, daisy-like flowers available in a wide range of colours. 

To preserve the flowers, and to carry on enjoying the vibrant colours of achillea outside of their flowering period, blooms can easily be dried for use in everlasting arrangements.

Achilleas are also valued for their delicately feathered, aromatic foliage varying from grey to green depending on the variety. In the UK, plants are fully hardy and thrive in a general soil which is neither too dry nor too wet and in a position where they can receive full sun (more than six hours of direct sun per day in summer).

For the tidy gardener, achilleas respond well to cutting down after flowering, encouraging fresh growth and sometimes a late flush of flowers. For autumn and winter interest, simply leave the spent stems and seed heads standing, only retiring them to the compost heap once they have collapsed.

Wildlife credentials

All species have numerous flowerheads, each with tiny flowers bearing nectar and pollen which are attractive to smaller pollinators, especially pollen-beetles and smaller hoverflies, irrespective of flower colour. Yarrows can attract aphids, which may be kept under control by ladybirds. 

Propagation

To ensure plants remain productive and to increase vigour, clump-forming achilleas can be divided roughly every 3 years. Most achilleas are easy to dig up and split by simply pulling the clump apart, however the dense clumps of larger varieties such as Achillea fillipendula ‘Gold Plate’ may require a bit more force and are easier to divide with two garden forks placed back-to-back and used to lever the clump apart.

Varieties grown in Beth’s Garden and available to buy from us

Achillea ‘Fanal’- produces masses of long-lasting clusters of bold and brilliant cerise-red flowers with yellow centres gradually fading with age. Features finely dissected grey-green leaves and flowers from May-June. Height and spread 60cm x 45cm.

Achillea ‘Moonshine’- one of the best achilleas for foliage, featuring attractive feathery, silver-grey leaves. Bright yellow flowers which hold their shape and colour appear in May and last through to September.  Looks good grouped with Tanacetum niveum throughout the garden. Height and spread 60cm x 60cm.

Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise Queen’- very effective near the front of a sunny border. Massed flat heads of cherry-red flowers, fading paler pink as they age, arise from a base of ferny green leaves. Flowers appear in June and July. Height 60cm with a spread of 45cm.

Achillea  ‘Terracotta’- a good form with ferny foliage and heads of tiny terracotta flowers, fading to yellow, during summer. As with all achilleas, it requires a sunny spot in the garden. Reaches 1m in height with a spread of 40cm.

Achillea nobilis  subsp. neilreichii- flat heads of creamy-white flowers are held on erect stems above a clump of ferny, grey-green leaves. Unlike many achilleas, this species has a spreading habit and will gradually move from where originally planted. Flowers appear from June to September.  Height and spread 50cm x 50cm.

Achillea fillipendula ‘Gold Plate’- well known for its tall, stiff stems bearing large, flat heads of tiny yellow flowers. A great variety for producing dried flowers as it retains its colour well. Has a long flowering period from June through to September. Great for the back of a border reaching 1.8m in height and 60cm across.

Achillea ptarmica  ‘The Pearl’- good strong stems are topped with branched heads of pure-white, double button flowers from June to September. This variety is commonly used as a cut flower, both fresh and dried. Plants reach 75cm in height with a spread of 70cm.

Achillea  'Lachsschönheit' -flowers open coral-red and fade to soft-peach with both colours appearing on the plant at same time. The flowering period runs from June to August. Height and spread 80cm x 60cm.

Achillea  'Inca Gold’- a short, sturdy plant topped with wide heads of lemon-yellow, daisy flowers with greyish centres, initially with golden hues creating a cool effect during June and July. Reaches 70cm in height and 30cm wide.

Achillea coarctata- a new achillea to us and tolerant of a dry location unlike many other species. It is currently planted on our sand bank at the far end of the Gravel Garden where it is growing happily despite last years extreme weather. In summer, flat heads of strong, tiny, yellow flowers appear over silky-silvery foliage. Height and spread 40cm x 30cm.

Perfect companion plants

Agastache

Anthemis

Salvia