Is Yarrow deer resistant?
Achillea millefolium
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Yarrow
Bitter aromatic foliage, and it thrives on the kind of neglect that kills other perennials. Poor soil, full sun, no water, no feeding. Give it good soil and it flops. Yarrow grown well gets tall and soft and falls open from the centre after a storm, which is the commonest complaint about it. Poor ground keeps it compact and standing. It spreads by rhizome and will colonise a border if the soil suits it. Lift and divide every couple of years to keep it honest. The native species is genuinely weedy in a good site; the named cultivars are better behaved and hold their colour rather than fading back toward muddy white.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Low
- Fertility
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Drought
- High
- Salt
- High
- Pollinators
- High
- Coastal sites
Similar to Yarrow
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- African LilyAgapanthus sp.Zones 8–11, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AsparagusAsparagus officinalisZones 2–9Seldom damaged
- AsterAster sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- AstilbeAstilbe x arendsiiZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Baby's BreathGypsophila sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeSeldom damaged
- BastardsageEriogonum wrightiiZones 5–10Seldom damaged
Where Yarrow grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaskanative
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 50 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Yarrow belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Yarrow
- Is Yarrow deer resistant?
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Yarrow grow in?
- Yarrow is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Yarrow grow in shade?
- No. Yarrow wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Yarrow get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–36 in. Growth rate is fast.
- When does Yarrow bloom?
- Yarrow flowers from June–September.
- Is Yarrow toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Yarrow as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.