woodland wildflower

Common yarrow complex

Achillea millefolium

Also known as Common Yarrow, Western Yarrow, Yarrow, Milfoil

Native to most of the USA and Canada

Most of temperate North America.

Light Full sun to part shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry Moisture preference
Zones 1–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom Apr–Nov Flowering time
Height up to 3 ft to 0.9 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A woodland wildflower for full sun to part shade and lean, dry soil. Its white and pink flowers peak in July. At up to 3 ft, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. It shrugs off drought once established. Hardy in USDA zones 1–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Common yarrow complex's white and pink flowers bloom April to November, peaking in July. This midsummer display draws bees and butterflies.

Common yarrow complex blooms white & pinkFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee +206 more
Two-spotted Bumble Bee, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Ligated Furrow Bee, Tricolored Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee, Pure Green Sweat bee, Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee, European Woolcarder Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee, Black-and-gold Bumble Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Vancouver Bumble Bee, Tripartite Sweat Bee, Agapostemon texanus, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Carpenter-mimic Leafcutter Bee, Modest Masked Bee, Confusing Furrow Bee, Blue Orchard Bee, Western Leafcutter Bee, Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee, Wilke's Mining Bee, Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble bee, Hawthorn Mining Bee, Wide-striped Sweat Bee, Prunus Miner Bee, Tansy Mustard Sweat Bee, Western Bumble Bee, Hairy-banded Mining Bee, Unarmed Leafcutter Bee, Lucorum-group Bumble Bees, Black-and-gray Leafcutter Bee, Ceratina acantha, Bristle Sweat Bee, Slender-faced Masked Bee, Green Small-Mason, frigid bumble bee, Cresson's Mining Bee, Silver-tailed Petalcutter, Frigid Leafcutter Bee, Colorado Mason, Variable Pebble Bee, Calliopsis Cuckoo Nomad Bee, Punctate Masked Bee, Viereck's Sweat Bee, Ashton's Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Least Cellophane-cuckoo Bee, Annulate Masked Bee, Cresson's Sweat Bee, Compact Cellophane-Cuckoo, Hairy masked Bee, Snowy Mining Bee, Carinate Armored-Resin bee, Red Mason Bee, Very Smooth Sweat Bee, Incomplete Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum nitidiusculum, Golden-tailed Woodborer, Little Masked Bee, Lasioglossum mellipes, hoary sweat bee, Tiny Small carpenter, Olympia Sweat Bee, Common Masked Bee, Ambiguous Miner, Coneflower Masked Bee, Pale-fovea Miner, Nevada Sweat Bee, Glittering Cellophane Bee, California Mason Bee, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, Large-headed Armoured-Resin bee, Nomada bifasciata, Robust Small-Mason, Sharp-collared Furrow Bee, Ruidoso Sweat Bee, white-winged sweat bee, Black Masked Bee, Nevada Masked Bee, Knerer's Sweat Bee, Box-headed Furrow Bee, Common Furrow Bee, Large Masked Bee, Spined Mason Bee, Dashwood's Sweat Bee, Buckell's Miner Bee, Shaggy Furrow Bee, Golden Furrow Bee, Yellow-legged Mining Bee, Bronze furrow bee, Grey-patched Mining Bee, Stelis "albosignata", Nomada (Nomada) sp. 3, Linsenmaier's Nomad, Lasioglossum sabulosum, Lasioglossum pleurospeculum, Lasioglossum podolicum, Lasioglossum subfulvicorne, Lasioglossum laevidorsum, Hylaeus glacialis, Hylaeus pfankuchi, Snowy Masked Bee, Lasioglossum tarsatum, Hylaeus moricei, Nomada pleurosticta, Andrena amieti, Lasioglossum euboeense, Lasioglossum lissonotum, Lasioglossum alpigenum, Halictus carinthiacus, Hylaeus pilosulus, Heriades crenulatus, Translucent Miner, Abundantly Punctured Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum laeve, Hylaeus bifasciatus, Femoral Nomad, Grey-banded Mining Bee, Buff-tailed Mining Bee, Lasioglossum aeratum, Lasioglossum subfasciatum, Colletes mlokossewiczi, Hylaeus duckei, Hylaeus euryscapus, Small-headed Resin Bee, Hylaeus crassanus, Hylaeus alpinus, Eucera nigrifacies, Megachile genalis, Nomada facilis, Hylaeus gibbus, Osmia labialis, Megachile flabellipes, White-lipped Yellow-face Bee, Panurgus dentipes, Lasioglossum bluethgeni, Hylaeus sinuatus, Small Shiny Furrow Bee, Lasioglossum marginellum, Halictus leucaheneus, Chalk Yellow-face Bee, Lasioglossum majus, Hylaeus tyrolensis, Dotted Masked Bee, Osmia scutellaris, Narrowed Masked Bee, Forest Masked Bee, Shiny Dufourea, Polished Miner, Orange-vented Mason Bee, Broad-banded Nomad Bee, Nomada integra, Osmia mustelina, Lasioglossum discum, Davies' Cellophane Bee, Andrena livens, Hylaeus imparilis, Lasioglossum lineare, Pseudapis diversipes, Common Pantaloon Bee, Hylaeus difformis, Bare-saddled Cellophane Bee, Hylaeus styriacus, Osmia rufohirta, Great Banded Furrow Bee, Megachile melanopyga, Fringed Furrow Bee, Hylaeus paulus, Halictus seladonius, Andrena nigroolivacea, Andrena rhenana, Lasioglossum albocinctum, Reed Yellow-face Bee, Lasioglossum nigripes, Variegated Masked Bee, Hylaeus taeniolatus, Hylaeus kahri, Lasioglossum marginatum, Hairy-saddled Cellophane Bee, Onion Yellow-face Bee, Lasioglossum lucidulum, Nomada distinguenda, Ridge-gastered Furrow Bee, Lasioglossum minutulum, Squat Furrow Bee, White-jawed Yellow-face Bee, Horned Masked Bee, Lasioglossum subhirtum, Large Shaggy Bee, Hesperian Miner, Snowy Mason, Short-horned Yellow-face Bee, Small Shaggy Bee, Dimple-bellied Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum interruptum, Andrena taraxaci, Lasioglossum zonulum, Gredler's Masked Bee, Tree Bumble Bee, Shingle Yellow-face Bee, Lasioglossum fulvicorne, Green Furrow Bee, Lobe-spurred Furrow Bee, Simple Furrow Bee
Butterflies Monarch

also Black Swallowtail, Pearl Crescent, Silver-spotted Skipper +89 more
Painted Lady, Gray Hairstreak, American Lady, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Common Checkered-Skipper and Allies, Viceroy, Zabulon Skipper, Clouded Sulphur, Peck's Skipper, American Snout, Eastern Comma, Horace's Duskywing, Common Ringlet, Common Wood-Nymph, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Variable Checkerspot, Silvery Blue, Acmon Blue, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Northern Azure, Northern Cloudywing, American Copper, Boisduval's Blue, Banded Hairstreak, Little Glassywing, Purplish Copper, Northern Checkerspot, Atlantis Fritillary, Long Dash, Aphrodite Fritillary, American Branded Skipper, Bronze Copper, Arctic Skipper, Coral Hairstreak, Anna's Blue, Harris's Checkerspot, Southern Cloudywing, Pink-edged Sulphur, Sagebrush Checkerspot, Behr's Hairstreak, Dion Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Northern Metalmark, Mission Blue, Inornate Ringlet, Glorious Silverspot, Small Copper, Marbled White, Silver-studded Blue, Apollo, Gatekeeper, European Comma, Scarce Swallowtail, Ringlet, Scarce Copper, Small Heath, Dark Green Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Hesperiidae sp., Cercyonis lycaon, Purple-shot Copper, Chilean Lady, Sloe Hairstreak, Sooty Copper, Occidryas colon, Ochlodes venata faunus, Incisalia irioides, Atrytone delaware, Cyaniris neglecta, Wallengrenia egeremet, Large Copper, Mitoura gryneus, Clossiana toddi ammiralis, Limenitis arthemis arthemis, Green-veined White, False Heath Fritillary, Turquoise Blue, Iberian marbled white, Maculinea arion, Mountain Ringlet, Scotch Argus, Bath White, Autumn Ringlet, Melitaea nevadensis, Blue-spot Hairstreak, Colias croceus, Papilio cresphontes, Lysandra coridon, Pearly Heath
Flower flies Margined Calligrapher

also Eastern Calligrapher, Common Drone Fly, Transverse-banded Flower Fly +53 more
Oblique Streaktail, Narrow-headed Marsh Fly, Thick-legged Hover Fly, Eurasian Drone Fly, Greater Bee Fly, Black-shouldered Drone Fly, Large-tailed Aphideater, The Merodon equestris Group, Western Aphideater, Variable Duskyface Fly, Common Grass Skimmer, Western Calligrapher, Tufted Globetail, Eastern Hornet Fly, Oblique-banded Pond Fly, Forked Globetail, Common Lagoon Fly, Orange-legged Drone Fly, Yellow-legged Flower Fly, Yellow-haired Sun Fly, Black-footed Drone Fly, Black-horned Smoothtail, Peg-legged Compost Fly, Common Flower Fly, Hairy-eyed Flower Fly, Wasp-like Falsehorn, Black-footed Globetail, Woolly-tailed Marsh Fly, White-spotted Pond Fly, Short-haired Leafwalker, Spot-winged Pond Fly, Platycheirus albimanus Group, Toxophora amphitea, Conophorus sackenii, Migrant Hover Fly, Common Globetail, Onion Bulb Fly, Marmalade Hover Fly, Trivittate Marsh Fly, Merodon Merodon equestris, Hemipenthes seminiger, Epistrophe emarginata, Hemipenthes sinuosus, Didea fasciata, Orange-tailed Drone Fly, Lomatia lateralis, Pyrophaena granditarsa, Pellucid Hover Fly, Sun Fly, Eristalis interrupta, Eristalis (Eoseristalis), Tapered Drone Fly, Dark-winged Chrysogaster
Also visited by
- Beetles:
  
  Asian Lady Beetle, Convergent Lady Beetle +40 more
  Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, Margined Leatherwing Beetle, Spotted Pink Lady Beetle, Fourteen-spotted Lady Beetle, Banded Longhorn Beetle, Common Red Soldier Beetle, Colorado Potato Beetle, Two-spotted Lady Beetle, Yellow Velvet Beetle, Strangalepta Flower Longhorn Beetle, Xestoleptura crassipes, Cantharis livida, Dimorphic Flower Longhorn Beetle, Etorofus obliteratus, Wide-horned Soldier Beetle, Chestnut Longhorn Beetle, Eight-spotted Tumbling Flower Beetle, Red-winged Longhorn Beetle, Judolia montivagans, Stripe-legged Long-horned Beetle, Thin-tailed Longhorned Beetle, Cortodera subpilosa, tawny longhorn beetle, Spotted Longhorn Beetle, Red Pine Longhorn Beetle, Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, blood-red longhorn beetle, Speckled Rose Chafer, Cosmosalia chrysocoma, six-spotted longhorn beetle, Chlorophorus sartor, Stenurella septempunctata, Stenurella bifasciata, Fairy-ring Longhorn Beetle, Stenopterus rufus, Phytoecia pustulata, Lepturobosca virens, Anthaxia fulgurans, Tituboea sexmaculata, Anthaxia nitidula
- Moths:
  
  Virginia Ctenucha Moth, Yellow-collared Scape Moth +32 more
  Wavy-lined and Southern Emeralds, Lucerne Moth, Grape Leaffolder and Leafroller Moths, Garden Webworm Moth, Master's Dart, Yellow-spotted Webworm Moth, Police Car Moth, White Slant-line, Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth, Orange Mint Moth, Box Tree Moth, White Satin Moth, Small Magpie, Rocky Mountain Clearwing, Reversed Haploa Moth, Toadflax Brocade Moth, Small Heliothodes Moth, Fireweed Clearwing Moth, Strawberry Crown Moth, Dogwood Borer Moth, One-banded Pyrausta Moth and Allies, Buckwheat Root Borer Moth, Lesser Peachtree Borer Moth, Jersey Tiger, Chimney-sweeper, Pyrausta despicata, Drab Looper, Haploa confusa, Manduca rustica, Small Purple-barred, Chalk Carpet, Large Emerald
- Wasps:
  
  Metric Paper Wasp, Fraternal Potter Wasp +9 more
  Western Yellowjacket, Four-toothed Mason Wasp, Euodynerus foraminatus, Bramble Mason Wasp, Perennial Mason Wasp, Ancistrocerus catskill, Pseudodynerus quadrisectus, Euodynerus hidalgo boreoorientalis, Parancistrocerus leionotus

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Most of the USA and CanadaUnited States (50): AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. Canada (13): AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Most of temperate North America.The same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to part shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 1–10 · Canadian 0–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.0–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Drought tolerance: HighRelative to plants of the same type and region, inferred from where it grows, not a days-without-water figure.
Salinity tolerance: LowHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 3 ft (to 0.9 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~2 ft (0.6 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 8+ in (20+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Apr–NovWhen it flowers.
Flower color: White, PinkThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–DecThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Container, seed, sprigsHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~3 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: SlowWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.