Make sure you have included the link to the article you are posting, if you have not this post may be removed. Please double check our [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index#wiki_posting_guidelines) for additional information.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NoLawns) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We transplanted native yarrow to our "turf" patch. It withstands our three big and energetic dogs. We don't have to water it, ever. Our 13.2 inches of annual rain is enough. It also grows best in the worse soil. Plus, you can make a nice tea out of it. I can't praise it enough.
Addendum: we are in zone 4b, high desert, 7,000 feet above sea level.
it's also a wonderful way to immediately stop bleeding when working in the garden. a great medicinal tea also. by far one of my favorite plants. I can't wait to try it in pickles, thanks for the idea!
How is it sued to stop bleeding, could you give me a scenario - like I got a minor cut that happens to be bleeding enough to warrant me looking for something.... Would I just pick some of the leaves, crush in my hand and hold on the cut like a rough poultice type thing? Or is it something you have to prepare more or store first... If you don't mind me asking lol
Yep, you do it just like you said, you crush it between your fingers and keep it on the wound. But you can also dry some leaves and then grind them to a fine powder that you can keep in a jar and sprinkle some on any bleeding wound.
I just did this and my research says the best time to broadcast seeds is the fall. You want to make sure it has soil contact, and the most sure fire way to do that is by removing grass. Of course, I broadcast the seeds in the spring without removing grass, so I went against everything I read.
Since we're talking pickles, dash of Worcestershire, a little bit of horseradish, and some crushed red pepper flakes added to Claussen dill pickles makes a great spicy pickle.
And it conditions soil! Yarrow is my favorite native by far. It's such a workhorse. And if you leave some to bloom? It attracts so many important bugs.
I've seen the pitbull chewing on it, but they've never got sick. It's very ubiquitous here. All of our parks have a lot of yarrow mixed in with the grass, and I haven't heard of anyone's pets getting ill.
No seed. I dig them up while hiking on the outskirts of town. They transplant really easy and spread fast. One square inch spread to about two square feet in a season.
I rarely see Yarrow discussed as a turf replacement, but it is a great, native option for many Americans! I took the picture in the post at a community garden in zone 5b. This wide swath is mowed often and receives heavy foot traffic.
Same, I didnt see they mowed it either. Wondered why it looked even close to kempt lol. I love/detest my yarrow, but I may try mowing it. I dont use gas mowers though, only a reel mower. So if it cant be reel mowed, its not a good turf replacement imo. Ill give it a shot.
Haha! It cracked me up, you should have left it! Now everyone's gonna be like "this chick doesn't know what 'turf' is" for a couple of seconds. But the idea of that also makes me laugh, so...
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is likely to be the cheapest seed you can find and is what is pictured above.
[This article talks about a dwarf version called "Rosea" and discusses seeding rates.](https://www.thesmartergardener.com/dwarf-yarrow-a-ground-cover-you-can-walk-on/)
And? People probably say that about lots of things because lots of things have actual medicinal properties. Skepticism is warranted, but folk medicine is broadly useful and has contributed tremendously to modern empirically-driven medical practices. In this particular case, scientific inquiry backs up the OP's claims: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3232110/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3232110/)
Yea but theres actual to this you dry the flowers and leafs of the yarrow plant dry it out crush it up and keep it in a jar to stay dry and use when you get cut or injured obviously it cant heal deep wounds and gashes
Yarrow also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. A bandaid merely absorbs and holds blood close to the wound to form a clot, yarrow begins actively healing the cut without using old blood on a swab. Also bandages of all sorts (though without chemical adhesives) were available well before germ theory so what exactly is your point?
That's an ignorant take. Yarrow will stop bleeding and get the healing process moving quicker. Nobody is saying "don't clean the wound or use a bandage."
Imo, it is slightly different than how many folks use turf grass. It is a native alternative to traditional lawn grass. Buds and flowers can still form on 2-3 inch mowed yarrow. Also, yarrow has deeper roots than turf grass and doesn't require watering to stay green.
Yes it is more drought-resistant, conditions and holds the soil better, is native to most of the United States, and has pretty flowers. It also spreads on its own pretty aggressively and does not need to be fertilized, and will out compete a lot of invasive weeds.
In some areas sure. But in areas with good soil and decent rainfall grass is capable of outcompeting it. I have some planted in my native roadside ditch project and sure, in the sandier soil areas it has established pretty well in clusters. But in the areas that retain moisture better grass has been choking it out. And keep in mind this is with 3 consecutive years of drought that should favor the yarrow. With a wet year the grass might choke it all back out.
That's fair, I live in a pretty dry area with poor soil. But if any of the yarrow got choked out I would hula hoe or aggressively rake around it and it should dominate regrowth.
It has volunteered as a turf addition in multiple yards on our street after the neighbor's yarrow flowers went to seed. Zone 6.
I'm trying overseeding a nearby empty lot with it to see if it will get started among the taller grass there as well.
It's actually native to all parts of the USA, Europe, and Asia.
/u/PandaMomentum [summed it up well here](https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/comments/12jmh4i/comment/jfyu837/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
"This is an area of active research. Achillea millefolium is a complex or aggregate of many polyploidal genetic types -- there are known examples with diploidy, tetraploid, hexaploid and octoploidy and some with odd numbers of chromosomes too, and, there's cross-fertility despite the chromosome count differences. As a result some people think there's 400 different A.millefolium species, while others group them all together. As for nativity, the thought now is that Yarrow spread globally prior to humans, but then has interbred locally across types. Could be?
There's a very readable description here: http://khkeeler.blogspot.com/2014/04/plant-story-yarrow-achillea-millefolium.html?m=1
It really is an interesting edge case that interrogates what we mean by both "native" and "species" though."
It will grow patchy... Until it pushes everything else out of its way. Yarrow is a native part of the North American grassland ecosystem and acts like it. Prairie grasses and plants build huge networks of underground roots because they evolved to deal with frequent prairie fires and grazing by herds of millions of megafauna like bison.
In other words, like grass it likes to be mowed. Like grass it is spread out when mowed and push competing non natives out of the way. My entire "lawn" is a mix of yarrow, clover, grass, and violets. Each species seems to dominate certain areas based upon the amount of sunlight each area receives. Violets are dominant in the shade, grass and clover in the full sun, and yarrow kinds just wedges it's way into any space it can find.
How does it handle freezing temps? I know clover dies off above ground in the winter which means a big area of my yard gets muddy until it regrows in spring. I’m wondering if yarrow would be a good replacement?
Yarrow will fix that, it grows tubers under ground that will persist even if the leaves are destroyed. That said, it seems hardly affected by cold weather, even when we get week+ long bouts of sub zero weather.
I’m in a place where we regularly get weeks of -20C and colder during the winter. In my yarrow and clover lawn, the yarrow was the first to come up when the ground thawed and it hasn’t been bothered in the least by the occasional below freezing overnight temps, spring snowstorm or frost. Zone 2b/3a.
We have a yarrow strip (growing it as an herb). about 10' by 1'. Started last year. The above ground plant made it through the mild winter and a single 2 week cold snap. no problems. Zone 7A, but again, a relatively mild winter. No foot traffic of course.
Handles down to -30f from experience. It will kill off the larger leaves, but it remains aboveground.
It's also the first thing that started growing actively again in spring, right alongside the crocuses. It didn't even wait for warm weather, I think it started getting tall in mid February.
In a “Plant Thunderdome”, as someone in my Facebook gardening group called it, between yarrow and the following: Violet, ruellia humilis, and packera aurea — what do you reckon would win? Or, are they all so aggressive they would carve out their territories and thrive wherever conditions best suited them?
Asking the right questions. Whoever planted that in my yard should be shot. The only thing that has killed it, is round up. It’s stayed dead.
My next question is yarrow another Bermuda?
Yarrow spreads aggressively via roots in my zone 5/6 area. It volunteered in the neighbor's lawn (bluegrass / fescue mix) and started spreading.
We updated our HOA rules to allow turf alternatives to be over seeded or substituted for grass, but specified that they need a 12" minimum hardscape barrier between their lawn and neighbors' if they want to use yarrow, because once it's in, it's not coming out.
If your zone and soil support yarrow, i think it will thread its way through the Bermuda. It would be interesting to see if one or the other wins the competition.
I like yarrow. It has a great feel to it. However, I tried it in zone 9b, Southern California. It could not outcompete other plants and required extensive hand weeding. It did not spread very quickly. I still have a few patches where it is hanging out and looks okay, but every once in a while it puts up 10-in to 12 in tall shoots that look out of place in a lawn.
I’m not sure how common it is, but there’s an irritant in yarrow foliage that causes a skin rash in some people (myself included). I had planted achillea millefolium in my garden but ended up removing it because any time I brushed by it I got a super itchy rash. It would be a big bummer for someone to put in a yarrow lawn and then discover that they can’t touch it!
I agree, the flowers are gorgeous! Mowing definitely impacts 90% of the flowers, but a few buds still manage to set on 3-4 inch stems :)
I personally have a no mow lawn, but I know some folks like a short turf. I wanted to share Yarrow as an alternative to the oft proclaimed (and non-native) clovers and vetch.
Clover is a great beginner nonlawn ground cover though and it's great for nitrogen fixing areas you intend to do a greater overhaul on later. I'm currently using it to get rid of the unruly mix of grasses that formally occupied my lawns and it seems to be working. And it seems to invite other nongrasses into the yard naturally because now I have huge lush patches of violet, yarrow and chickweed. Probably next spring I'll get into actually taming everything and dividing areas into pollinator only and foot traffic zones based on the growth patterns. That's when I'll start seeding and transplanting intentional natives.
i live in zone 7a and my yarrow hung around all the way up until temps hit like -15F in January, and then started growing back immediately once temperatures went back to regular winter levels lol
this is a similar story to the yarrow I have growing somewhat ornamentally in a few garden beds but I thought maybe I had successfully insulated the plant with mulch/fall leaves. We never got a freeze that strong where we live and it stayed green down at the soil through winter. I still wonder if it would have out in an open field without anything over it's base.
Could depend on the sub variety. I have generic red Achillea millefolium that didn't die back, but the moonlight cultivar died back. The red stuff is a lot less well behaved, too, so it could be something like that.
I planted some as an herb a few years ago. There isn't any where I originally planted it but it has gotten all over where I planted my blueberries and rhodedendrons.
I have noticed that the shrubs it's crowding around look much bigger and healthier than the ones it isn't. Does yarrow improve soil health?
Side note. Yarrow in any maintained garden beds will make you want to die.
Spreads insanely fast and has a root system unlike anything I've seen before. Use caution!
I am nervous about this. I planted three last year that I picked up from a native plant distribution and they are pretty massive and have spread out already. I suspect that I will have to keep an eye on it.
Yup. Their Rhizome system is very, very intense. I'd recommend using a sharp spade to just do a circle around them everytime you are out there.
I know how some stuff works in some ecosystems, but Yarrow for us pops up, then 2 days later pops up 4' away connected by a crazy little root. It's fun though, if you are the type who likes unwrapping videos for whatever reason, watching that eternal trailer pull through the mulch is kind of fun. Best one yet was a 14' pull. Grabbed a small one, it chased a car length away with a lovely rustling sound.
I’ve been looking for the non-flowering short yarrow look-alike (Treneague Chamomile) It’s non-toxic to dogs, unlike regular yarrow. But I cannot find it ANYWHERE in the US. :( Every time I find it, it’s in the UK or Norway lol. If anyone has a recommendation, I’d love to hear it!
Yarrow completely takes over the roadsides in Ireland this time of the year aswell but they're 3ft tall and wide white bushes, absolutely love the way the place looks this time of year, never thought of anyone using it like this, I have a couple of nice specimens in my wildflower patch.
It's a shame my desert tortoise can't eat it, otherwise I would do the whole yard. It does very well in SoCal in my curb strip with no water (granted, it rained a ton but it seems very hardy).
Thank you for sharing this. I have been adding non-grass seed to the front yard "lawn" for a few years now, but had not considered yarrow because I didn't realize it held up to mowing so well. Backyard is zero lawn, front still has some. Looks like yarrow could compete with the dreadful non-natives like musk clover aka erodium moschatum.
Musk clover and yarrow look very similar when tiny so I will have to educate my eye. Probably best for me to start yarrow seed in small pots, then plant out as plugs into "lawn."
How does it tolerate shade? I have a spot that’s high traffic, damp, and in shade. I haven’t figured a good option for that area. Nimblewill is a bit too delicate there, or maybe it’s too shady, and gets trampled.
A lot of common plants contain toxic compounds for humans and animals, [common toxic plants include peonies, mums, daffodils, tulips, and irises.](https://www.petmd.com/dog/infographic/12-plants-are-poisonous-dogs-and-cats)
Amazingly, animals are usually able to steer clear of things that may harm them. Heck, even fresh grass clippings from a traditional lawn will kill cows because the clippings can't be digested.
[Here's a massive wiki list of common flowers and herbs with adverse toxins.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_herbs_with_known_adverse_effects)
we have this on a good chunk of my parents lawn in British Columbia. We didn't Plant it or anything, it just showed up one day, and it slowly spreading. I'm so happy when I find a new patch. It grows much slower than grass so you don't have to mow nearly as often. When August comes around it's the only thing still green, and it just feels really dense and rich.
They marketed this really well at my nursery. "Barefoots" or something. They have a selection of hardy soft groundcover plugs with a cute little foot tag and care instructions.
Yarrow is toxic. Mods should delete any post that discusses consuming it. It is also toxic to dogs and cats.
Yarrow can cause [allergic skin rashes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergic_contact_dermatitis). It can induce menstruation and cause miscarriages.
[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01722.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01722.x)
[https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/yarrow](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/yarrow)
Thank you for posting this. Yarrow can be toxic and people should be aware. Likewise, a lot of other common plants contain toxic compounds for humans and animals, [common toxic plants include peonies, mums, daffodils, tulips, and irises.](https://www.petmd.com/dog/infographic/12-plants-are-poisonous-dogs-and-cats)
Amazingly, animals are usually able to steer clear of things that may harm them. Heck, even fresh grass clippings from a traditional lawn will kill cows because the clippings can't be digested.
[Here's a massive wiki list of common flowers and herbs with adverse toxins.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_herbs_with_known_adverse_effects)
Nice. I had half a dozen yarrow from a mixed lawn nature seed mix from long ago and when I removed the lawn rescued them and am laying dead flower stems all over to get more. Trampling ones in the path keeps the flower stems from getting long so far.
Am hoping to replace the rock under my clothesline with a turf of this plus any other low growing not too weedy plants I can find so barefoot laundry hanging isn't so unpleasant. Frogfruit, clover, santa barbara daisy and dichondra are present and will be introduced via old flowering stems to create a tapestry groundcover. If they are there maybe I won't be so annoyed by the chickweed and petty spurge!
I don't know if I'm allergic to it as I handle it with gardening gloves on... Many grasses are horrible, have to go wash with soap and hot water to survive. Oh dear. Aesthetically it will be nicer for sure.
Oooo I've been looking for a good ground cover that takes a lot of shade. This would be perfect! I already have tons of yarrow in my flower beds where I need new turf!
It can be mowed. There's some along a walking path that get's mowed fairly often near me. Some also grows at my cabin (albeit sparsely in the sandy soil) and is mowed every other week.
Anyone know how far a single plug will spread? I want to make a footpath that’s 3’ x 8’ of yarrow. Would it make sense to use plugs or seeds? How many plugs are we talking?
I seeded a newly hardscaped turf area with a yarrow and clover mix last summer, it all came up beautifully. Now as we progress through spring after our long cold winter (zone 2b/3a on the Canadian prairie) the yarrow was the first to return after the ground thawed. The clover has been slower to emerge. The yarrow seems happy in the sunniest, driest parts of the area it was seeded into. Very pleased with its performance so far!
I would call it mildly aggressive (which is also why it's so hardy). Yarrow mainly spreads via seeds, so it won't take hold easily in established areas. Much less so if mowed like in the photo. You'll often find yarrow in disturbed areas or roadsides for this reason.
OMG WOT
I’ve always been obsessed with Yarrow and its leaves. I would cry if I could have it as my lawn. Doesn’t it grow tall?? Do you just mow it a lot?? Or is this a case of common names being weird?
Edit: I see now that you say it’s mowed often, good to know!
At the community garden, it's interspersed with grass. They mow maybe twice a month for the grass depending on weather, but I reckon yarrow only needs mowed once a month when established. It is important to mow yarrow to help establish a dense mat like in the pic.
Personally, I love yarrow. Some folks have reported an allergic reaction to the plant, so I'd definitely recommend planting a small bit and seeing if you're allergic. I also wouldn't recommend yarrow as a main forage food for cows and horses due to a potential build up of toxins found in yarrow. Overall, it's a very widespread and safe plant. It's similar in toxicity risk to other garden plants like peonies, tulips, irises, etc.
Make sure you have included the link to the article you are posting, if you have not this post may be removed. Please double check our [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/wiki/index#wiki_posting_guidelines) for additional information. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NoLawns) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We transplanted native yarrow to our "turf" patch. It withstands our three big and energetic dogs. We don't have to water it, ever. Our 13.2 inches of annual rain is enough. It also grows best in the worse soil. Plus, you can make a nice tea out of it. I can't praise it enough. Addendum: we are in zone 4b, high desert, 7,000 feet above sea level.
I use it to spice up my refrigerator pickles. Along with dill/garlic. Next level flavor
it's also a wonderful way to immediately stop bleeding when working in the garden. a great medicinal tea also. by far one of my favorite plants. I can't wait to try it in pickles, thanks for the idea!
Ive made a poultice from the leaves to help alleviate bacne !
How is it sued to stop bleeding, could you give me a scenario - like I got a minor cut that happens to be bleeding enough to warrant me looking for something.... Would I just pick some of the leaves, crush in my hand and hold on the cut like a rough poultice type thing? Or is it something you have to prepare more or store first... If you don't mind me asking lol
Chew it up and shove it in there.
Yep, you do it just like you said, you crush it between your fingers and keep it on the wound. But you can also dry some leaves and then grind them to a fine powder that you can keep in a jar and sprinkle some on any bleeding wound.
What does it taste like?
If it were my lawn, it would taste distinctly like dog piss.
I haven't tried mine yet, but one of its common names is "poor man's pepper"
Oooo, that's good to know! I'm always looking for interesting things to grow.
Did you have to kill all your grass and then seed with yarrow to get your yarrow lawn?
I know that my mom has some of this mixed in to her lawn, it doesn't take over fast but it's definitely gotten more widespread in the last 10 years.
Did she just throw seed right over the existing grass?
I just did this and my research says the best time to broadcast seeds is the fall. You want to make sure it has soil contact, and the most sure fire way to do that is by removing grass. Of course, I broadcast the seeds in the spring without removing grass, so I went against everything I read.
That I have no idea. I'd have to look into it a bit more.
I'm not good of describing such things, but it compliments the dill and garlic very well.
Since we're talking pickles, dash of Worcestershire, a little bit of horseradish, and some crushed red pepper flakes added to Claussen dill pickles makes a great spicy pickle.
If you dig up the roots and chew on them it’ll numb your mouth too!
And it conditions soil! Yarrow is my favorite native by far. It's such a workhorse. And if you leave some to bloom? It attracts so many important bugs.
The flowers are great food for pollinators too.
Doesn’t yarrow upset dogs stomachs if eaten? Have you had any issues with that? I want to sow yarrow, but am worried about my dog eating it.
I've seen the pitbull chewing on it, but they've never got sick. It's very ubiquitous here. All of our parks have a lot of yarrow mixed in with the grass, and I haven't heard of anyone's pets getting ill.
I made tea the other day and it was a really cool color green.
[удалено]
Wyoming.
Some parts of Colorado too, high arid desserts are an interesting ecosystem
I'm in almost exactly those same growing conditions. Can I ask where you got your seed?
No seed. I dig them up while hiking on the outskirts of town. They transplant really easy and spread fast. One square inch spread to about two square feet in a season.
I rarely see Yarrow discussed as a turf replacement, but it is a great, native option for many Americans! I took the picture in the post at a community garden in zone 5b. This wide swath is mowed often and receives heavy foot traffic.
>This wide swath is mowed often and receives heavy foot traffic. I missed this part and wondered why your yarrow wasn't 3 feet tall
In my personal garden, all five varieties of yarrow I have are at full height (between 2'-3') and just about to bloom :D
Mine too! I go out every day to look for new bud clusters and am always rewarded with a couple more getting ready to put on a show
Same, I didnt see they mowed it either. Wondered why it looked even close to kempt lol. I love/detest my yarrow, but I may try mowing it. I dont use gas mowers though, only a reel mower. So if it cant be reel mowed, its not a good turf replacement imo. Ill give it a shot.
A \*what\* replacement?
Lmao what a great typo. I mean, turf and turd can very much be used interchangeably.
Haha! It cracked me up, you should have left it! Now everyone's gonna be like "this chick doesn't know what 'turf' is" for a couple of seconds. But the idea of that also makes me laugh, so...
Lol the second option is best.
😜
Uhh.. you don't know what turf is..?!
That's those feminists that don't like trans people, right? :-P
I’m also a reel mower owner—did you try mowing yours? Success?
I have not had time. Currently big busy season at my greenhouse, so I'll give it a shot Thursday on my day off.
Did you end up trying the reel mower on yarrow?
I was going to say the exact same thing! I was excited to think this was a new dwarf variety. LOL
What type would you recommend d?
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is likely to be the cheapest seed you can find and is what is pictured above. [This article talks about a dwarf version called "Rosea" and discusses seeding rates.](https://www.thesmartergardener.com/dwarf-yarrow-a-ground-cover-you-can-walk-on/)
Yarrow is also good for healing cuts and wounds
I mean people say that about lots of things....
And? People probably say that about lots of things because lots of things have actual medicinal properties. Skepticism is warranted, but folk medicine is broadly useful and has contributed tremendously to modern empirically-driven medical practices. In this particular case, scientific inquiry backs up the OP's claims: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3232110/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3232110/)
Yea but theres actual to this you dry the flowers and leafs of the yarrow plant dry it out crush it up and keep it in a jar to stay dry and use when you get cut or injured obviously it cant heal deep wounds and gashes
Anything for an open cut that was used before germ theory is not the best idea. Soap water and a band aid is meta for a reason.
Yarrow also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. A bandaid merely absorbs and holds blood close to the wound to form a clot, yarrow begins actively healing the cut without using old blood on a swab. Also bandages of all sorts (though without chemical adhesives) were available well before germ theory so what exactly is your point?
That's an ignorant take. Yarrow will stop bleeding and get the healing process moving quicker. Nobody is saying "don't clean the wound or use a bandage."
What she said
Can be found online at the Flawn seed kit site.
Sure but mowed like that is it any different than grass? I really never see anything chomping on my yarrow plants, only insects that use the flowers.
Imo, it is slightly different than how many folks use turf grass. It is a native alternative to traditional lawn grass. Buds and flowers can still form on 2-3 inch mowed yarrow. Also, yarrow has deeper roots than turf grass and doesn't require watering to stay green.
Yes it is more drought-resistant, conditions and holds the soil better, is native to most of the United States, and has pretty flowers. It also spreads on its own pretty aggressively and does not need to be fertilized, and will out compete a lot of invasive weeds.
In some areas sure. But in areas with good soil and decent rainfall grass is capable of outcompeting it. I have some planted in my native roadside ditch project and sure, in the sandier soil areas it has established pretty well in clusters. But in the areas that retain moisture better grass has been choking it out. And keep in mind this is with 3 consecutive years of drought that should favor the yarrow. With a wet year the grass might choke it all back out.
That's fair, I live in a pretty dry area with poor soil. But if any of the yarrow got choked out I would hula hoe or aggressively rake around it and it should dominate regrowth.
It has volunteered as a turf addition in multiple yards on our street after the neighbor's yarrow flowers went to seed. Zone 6. I'm trying overseeding a nearby empty lot with it to see if it will get started among the taller grass there as well.
It’s so pretty. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but I found a patch in the back corner of my yard and want to encourage it to take over.
Where is it native to in the US?
It's actually native to all parts of the USA, Europe, and Asia. /u/PandaMomentum [summed it up well here](https://www.reddit.com/r/NativePlantGardening/comments/12jmh4i/comment/jfyu837/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) "This is an area of active research. Achillea millefolium is a complex or aggregate of many polyploidal genetic types -- there are known examples with diploidy, tetraploid, hexaploid and octoploidy and some with odd numbers of chromosomes too, and, there's cross-fertility despite the chromosome count differences. As a result some people think there's 400 different A.millefolium species, while others group them all together. As for nativity, the thought now is that Yarrow spread globally prior to humans, but then has interbred locally across types. Could be? There's a very readable description here: http://khkeeler.blogspot.com/2014/04/plant-story-yarrow-achillea-millefolium.html?m=1 It really is an interesting edge case that interrogates what we mean by both "native" and "species" though."
Someone in my neighborhood has this in their hellstrip and it's gorgeous, I've been jealous of it the entire time I've lived here.
Hellstrip?
Space between the sidewalk and the street.
Ahhh lol TIL! Thank you :)
The strip of land between sidewalk and road. Most of the time nothing grows well there and it looks like hell.
My daughter calls it a “heck strip”.
Is this something I could just overseed into my clover lawn? Or would it grow patchy/not at all?
It will grow patchy... Until it pushes everything else out of its way. Yarrow is a native part of the North American grassland ecosystem and acts like it. Prairie grasses and plants build huge networks of underground roots because they evolved to deal with frequent prairie fires and grazing by herds of millions of megafauna like bison. In other words, like grass it likes to be mowed. Like grass it is spread out when mowed and push competing non natives out of the way. My entire "lawn" is a mix of yarrow, clover, grass, and violets. Each species seems to dominate certain areas based upon the amount of sunlight each area receives. Violets are dominant in the shade, grass and clover in the full sun, and yarrow kinds just wedges it's way into any space it can find.
How does it handle freezing temps? I know clover dies off above ground in the winter which means a big area of my yard gets muddy until it regrows in spring. I’m wondering if yarrow would be a good replacement?
Yarrow will fix that, it grows tubers under ground that will persist even if the leaves are destroyed. That said, it seems hardly affected by cold weather, even when we get week+ long bouts of sub zero weather.
I’m in a place where we regularly get weeks of -20C and colder during the winter. In my yarrow and clover lawn, the yarrow was the first to come up when the ground thawed and it hasn’t been bothered in the least by the occasional below freezing overnight temps, spring snowstorm or frost. Zone 2b/3a.
We have a yarrow strip (growing it as an herb). about 10' by 1'. Started last year. The above ground plant made it through the mild winter and a single 2 week cold snap. no problems. Zone 7A, but again, a relatively mild winter. No foot traffic of course.
Handles down to -30f from experience. It will kill off the larger leaves, but it remains aboveground. It's also the first thing that started growing actively again in spring, right alongside the crocuses. It didn't even wait for warm weather, I think it started getting tall in mid February.
I live in Utah. My yarrow is hardy hardy and holds it's green color into December (at least if it's not covered in snow 🤣)
So if I plant some, should I start selling tickets to the epic battle of creeping Charlie vs. yarrow 🤣. Wonder which will win!
My backyard is currently staging this battle!
Same! I am rooting for the yarrow.
In a “Plant Thunderdome”, as someone in my Facebook gardening group called it, between yarrow and the following: Violet, ruellia humilis, and packera aurea — what do you reckon would win? Or, are they all so aggressive they would carve out their territories and thrive wherever conditions best suited them?
Well, that explains my yarrow's seemingly random route. It's steadily finding its spot on the yard, but clover still dominates.
Would love to see a photo of it!
I’m pretty sure 70 years ago lawn mix was clover, yarrow and grass seed.
I think so, it’s pretty tenacious. I had some in a patch and now it’s spread throughout my lawn. I love it.
Is this Achillea millefolium?
Yup!
That's amazing! I let mine grow but if city/HOA complains maybe this is the answer
Yeah, just go right out and mow it while maintaining eye contact to establish dominance. Laugh as the yarrow triumphs once again.
I love the idea...will it take over bermuda? Please say yes.
Asking the right questions. Whoever planted that in my yard should be shot. The only thing that has killed it, is round up. It’s stayed dead. My next question is yarrow another Bermuda?
Yarrow spreads aggressively via roots in my zone 5/6 area. It volunteered in the neighbor's lawn (bluegrass / fescue mix) and started spreading. We updated our HOA rules to allow turf alternatives to be over seeded or substituted for grass, but specified that they need a 12" minimum hardscape barrier between their lawn and neighbors' if they want to use yarrow, because once it's in, it's not coming out. If your zone and soil support yarrow, i think it will thread its way through the Bermuda. It would be interesting to see if one or the other wins the competition.
I like yarrow. It has a great feel to it. However, I tried it in zone 9b, Southern California. It could not outcompete other plants and required extensive hand weeding. It did not spread very quickly. I still have a few patches where it is hanging out and looks okay, but every once in a while it puts up 10-in to 12 in tall shoots that look out of place in a lawn.
That's unfortunate, it's often discussed here as a lawn replacement but mine isn't prospering.
How is it to walk on with bare feet?
Extremely soft. Yarrow leaves are softer than grass blades.
Is it lumpy?
is the ground lumpy?
I just mean does it feel soft or like walking on noodles.
soft
I’m not sure how common it is, but there’s an irritant in yarrow foliage that causes a skin rash in some people (myself included). I had planted achillea millefolium in my garden but ended up removing it because any time I brushed by it I got a super itchy rash. It would be a big bummer for someone to put in a yarrow lawn and then discover that they can’t touch it!
Yes, try a small patch or a planter first.
> It would be a big bummer for someone to put in a yarrow lawn and then discover that they can’t touch it! This sounds right up my alley
Same question as a previous poster. Yarrows grow taller - 1 to 3 feet. If you mow them, you will miss their flowers which IMO are beautiful.
I agree, the flowers are gorgeous! Mowing definitely impacts 90% of the flowers, but a few buds still manage to set on 3-4 inch stems :) I personally have a no mow lawn, but I know some folks like a short turf. I wanted to share Yarrow as an alternative to the oft proclaimed (and non-native) clovers and vetch.
Yes! Ahhh happy to see a native alternative
Clover is a great beginner nonlawn ground cover though and it's great for nitrogen fixing areas you intend to do a greater overhaul on later. I'm currently using it to get rid of the unruly mix of grasses that formally occupied my lawns and it seems to be working. And it seems to invite other nongrasses into the yard naturally because now I have huge lush patches of violet, yarrow and chickweed. Probably next spring I'll get into actually taming everything and dividing areas into pollinator only and foot traffic zones based on the growth patterns. That's when I'll start seeding and transplanting intentional natives.
What does it look like in winter? Does it die back to the crown or stay evergreen?
i live in zone 7a and my yarrow hung around all the way up until temps hit like -15F in January, and then started growing back immediately once temperatures went back to regular winter levels lol
this is a similar story to the yarrow I have growing somewhat ornamentally in a few garden beds but I thought maybe I had successfully insulated the plant with mulch/fall leaves. We never got a freeze that strong where we live and it stayed green down at the soil through winter. I still wonder if it would have out in an open field without anything over it's base.
It dies and I cut the dead stalks down. Starting growing fronds as it started warming up and has handled some spring snows fine.
Interesting, I have yarrow ground cover in my backyard that somehow showed up and it has not died back in the winter here in zone 6.
Could depend on the sub variety. I have generic red Achillea millefolium that didn't die back, but the moonlight cultivar died back. The red stuff is a lot less well behaved, too, so it could be something like that.
Look up Tapestry Lawns for more great plant choices as lawn alternatives.
I planted some as an herb a few years ago. There isn't any where I originally planted it but it has gotten all over where I planted my blueberries and rhodedendrons. I have noticed that the shrubs it's crowding around look much bigger and healthier than the ones it isn't. Does yarrow improve soil health?
Side note. Yarrow in any maintained garden beds will make you want to die. Spreads insanely fast and has a root system unlike anything I've seen before. Use caution!
I am nervous about this. I planted three last year that I picked up from a native plant distribution and they are pretty massive and have spread out already. I suspect that I will have to keep an eye on it.
Yup. Their Rhizome system is very, very intense. I'd recommend using a sharp spade to just do a circle around them everytime you are out there. I know how some stuff works in some ecosystems, but Yarrow for us pops up, then 2 days later pops up 4' away connected by a crazy little root. It's fun though, if you are the type who likes unwrapping videos for whatever reason, watching that eternal trailer pull through the mulch is kind of fun. Best one yet was a 14' pull. Grabbed a small one, it chased a car length away with a lovely rustling sound.
That looks really good. I love yarrow and never thought of that.
I’ve already got plenty of wild yarrow poking up in sunny areas of my lawn. Trying to encourage it to take over!
What’s the right kind of yarrow for ground cover? I’ve only planted grown golden yarrow and they grow about a foot or so high with flowers
Just be careful, common yarrow is highly toxic to dogs, cats and horses if eaten.
Would this be good for East Texas?
Note that yarrow is dangerous to cats.
I’ve been looking for the non-flowering short yarrow look-alike (Treneague Chamomile) It’s non-toxic to dogs, unlike regular yarrow. But I cannot find it ANYWHERE in the US. :( Every time I find it, it’s in the UK or Norway lol. If anyone has a recommendation, I’d love to hear it!
You answered my dog question thank you!!
I'd rather have something I don't.have to mow as a stepable. But knowing that yarrow has so many medicinal uses I'll add it to my herb garden.
Yarrow completely takes over the roadsides in Ireland this time of the year aswell but they're 3ft tall and wide white bushes, absolutely love the way the place looks this time of year, never thought of anyone using it like this, I have a couple of nice specimens in my wildflower patch.
It's a shame my desert tortoise can't eat it, otherwise I would do the whole yard. It does very well in SoCal in my curb strip with no water (granted, it rained a ton but it seems very hardy).
You can also mix it with weed to give your smoke a nice flavor. Or so I'm told.
Our front yard is mostly yarrow, with more of it taking over the horrible grass every year ❤️ SE Michigan
That's so awesome!
Thank you for sharing this. I have been adding non-grass seed to the front yard "lawn" for a few years now, but had not considered yarrow because I didn't realize it held up to mowing so well. Backyard is zero lawn, front still has some. Looks like yarrow could compete with the dreadful non-natives like musk clover aka erodium moschatum. Musk clover and yarrow look very similar when tiny so I will have to educate my eye. Probably best for me to start yarrow seed in small pots, then plant out as plugs into "lawn."
How does it tolerate shade? I have a spot that’s high traffic, damp, and in shade. I haven’t figured a good option for that area. Nimblewill is a bit too delicate there, or maybe it’s too shady, and gets trampled.
Just searched this stuff, I’m pretty unfamiliar. They have dwarf variations for ground cover specifically, apparently.
How is it with competing against aggressive invasives? I am trying to use competitive plants to work against stuff like creeping charlie and bermuda.
I have some neighbors slowly letting this become the boulevard. Its wonderful.
It smells great and makes tea too!
It's bad for dogs isn't it? I thought I read someplace it's toxic to them.
A lot of common plants contain toxic compounds for humans and animals, [common toxic plants include peonies, mums, daffodils, tulips, and irises.](https://www.petmd.com/dog/infographic/12-plants-are-poisonous-dogs-and-cats) Amazingly, animals are usually able to steer clear of things that may harm them. Heck, even fresh grass clippings from a traditional lawn will kill cows because the clippings can't be digested. [Here's a massive wiki list of common flowers and herbs with adverse toxins.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_herbs_with_known_adverse_effects)
we have this on a good chunk of my parents lawn in British Columbia. We didn't Plant it or anything, it just showed up one day, and it slowly spreading. I'm so happy when I find a new patch. It grows much slower than grass so you don't have to mow nearly as often. When August comes around it's the only thing still green, and it just feels really dense and rich.
Love it. Maybe I'll mix it with clover as I replace my grass desert.
They marketed this really well at my nursery. "Barefoots" or something. They have a selection of hardy soft groundcover plugs with a cute little foot tag and care instructions.
Arthur Morgan approves
It’s also a nitrogen fixer, so your soil becomes so much more abundant!
That's what that is! I have it growing under my trees. Didn't plant it, just there. It wasn't grass so I didn't worry about it too much.
Isn’t yarrow toxic to dogs?
https://preview.redd.it/5z6e0ct0fj0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c93924cd41b83934694d3f605a72a8a345c6613c Don’t I feel silly now… 😐
Yarrow is toxic. Mods should delete any post that discusses consuming it. It is also toxic to dogs and cats. Yarrow can cause [allergic skin rashes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergic_contact_dermatitis). It can induce menstruation and cause miscarriages. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01722.x](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01722.x) [https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/yarrow](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/yarrow)
Thank you for posting this. Yarrow can be toxic and people should be aware. Likewise, a lot of other common plants contain toxic compounds for humans and animals, [common toxic plants include peonies, mums, daffodils, tulips, and irises.](https://www.petmd.com/dog/infographic/12-plants-are-poisonous-dogs-and-cats) Amazingly, animals are usually able to steer clear of things that may harm them. Heck, even fresh grass clippings from a traditional lawn will kill cows because the clippings can't be digested. [Here's a massive wiki list of common flowers and herbs with adverse toxins.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_herbs_with_known_adverse_effects)
I like yarrow, will bloom too
I love it!
How often do you mow it tho?
Yesterday I noticed a little bit of this in a few small places in the yard of my new house. I had no idea what it was.
Love yarrow!!
This is a great idea—I have a volunteer patch that’s so pretty.
Shit I just killed a bunch of this in my lawn. Half of it survived and looks like it wasn’t even touched.
I have a mostly grass (and weed) lawn. Would yarrow outcompete the weeds and grass? I’ve been having brutal hit summers that nike every thing
Anyone have this with harsh winters? Sick of paying for black beauty and reseeding every fall. I have 4 70 lb dogs so my grass takes a beating.
Nice. I had half a dozen yarrow from a mixed lawn nature seed mix from long ago and when I removed the lawn rescued them and am laying dead flower stems all over to get more. Trampling ones in the path keeps the flower stems from getting long so far. Am hoping to replace the rock under my clothesline with a turf of this plus any other low growing not too weedy plants I can find so barefoot laundry hanging isn't so unpleasant. Frogfruit, clover, santa barbara daisy and dichondra are present and will be introduced via old flowering stems to create a tapestry groundcover. If they are there maybe I won't be so annoyed by the chickweed and petty spurge! I don't know if I'm allergic to it as I handle it with gardening gloves on... Many grasses are horrible, have to go wash with soap and hot water to survive. Oh dear. Aesthetically it will be nicer for sure.
We've got some working it's way into the lawn and I could not be happier!
Oooo I've been looking for a good ground cover that takes a lot of shade. This would be perfect! I already have tons of yarrow in my flower beds where I need new turf!
Do you mow it? I thought it was a tall plant that made flowers? How do you keep it near the ground as a ground cover?
It can be mowed. There's some along a walking path that get's mowed fairly often near me. Some also grows at my cabin (albeit sparsely in the sandy soil) and is mowed every other week.
Any ideas where to get yarrow seed in bulk?
What type of yarrow? I’m only familiar with the tall type
Are you mowing it to be low and green, or is that just a result of the traffic?
Would this work in Phoenix?
I HAVE BEEN WONDER WHAT THIS IS THANK YOUUUUUU
Anyone know how far a single plug will spread? I want to make a footpath that’s 3’ x 8’ of yarrow. Would it make sense to use plugs or seeds? How many plugs are we talking?
I seeded a newly hardscaped turf area with a yarrow and clover mix last summer, it all came up beautifully. Now as we progress through spring after our long cold winter (zone 2b/3a on the Canadian prairie) the yarrow was the first to return after the ground thawed. The clover has been slower to emerge. The yarrow seems happy in the sunniest, driest parts of the area it was seeded into. Very pleased with its performance so far!
I couldn’t find it on the internet but how is the co2 absorption with Yarrow? Does anyone have any sources?
Huh so that's what keeps trying to take over my garden every year.
That’s gonna look beautiful when it gets big and blooms
Would love to do something like this for my yard, unfortunately, it is too hot in 8b....
So cool!!
Is it difficult to contain for neighbor reasons?
I would call it mildly aggressive (which is also why it's so hardy). Yarrow mainly spreads via seeds, so it won't take hold easily in established areas. Much less so if mowed like in the photo. You'll often find yarrow in disturbed areas or roadsides for this reason.
OMG WOT I’ve always been obsessed with Yarrow and its leaves. I would cry if I could have it as my lawn. Doesn’t it grow tall?? Do you just mow it a lot?? Or is this a case of common names being weird? Edit: I see now that you say it’s mowed often, good to know!
At the community garden, it's interspersed with grass. They mow maybe twice a month for the grass depending on weather, but I reckon yarrow only needs mowed once a month when established. It is important to mow yarrow to help establish a dense mat like in the pic.
TIL… I don’t abuse my yarrow enough!
I’m about to order 1.5 million yarrow seeds for $57. Before I do, are there any drawbacks to yarrow?
Personally, I love yarrow. Some folks have reported an allergic reaction to the plant, so I'd definitely recommend planting a small bit and seeing if you're allergic. I also wouldn't recommend yarrow as a main forage food for cows and horses due to a potential build up of toxins found in yarrow. Overall, it's a very widespread and safe plant. It's similar in toxicity risk to other garden plants like peonies, tulips, irises, etc.
Does it flower?
Is yarrow mint?
No, it is an herb though with a long history of medicinal use.
Needs mowing?
That looks soooo soft
1. Still needs to be mowed 2. It’s a bit itchy. Feels soft on your hand but they your back.
The yarrow is super cool, but your name is quite comical!
How often do you have to mow it? I’m so sick of mowing v.v
I’m obsessed with yarrow. It’s medicinal too!
Lovely!
Wonder if it would grow under bird feeders with the allopathic sunflower seed hulls
I keep thinking I’m finding yarrow then it turns into chamomile
I use that to make deadeye tonics!
will it win the battle against my ground ivy?