Achillea umbellata

Achillea umbellata is a small fluffy perennial plant that grows close to the ground, forming silver cushions of finely divided leaves – as soft on the eyes as they are soft to the touch.

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Its finely toothed, downy foliage, a brilliant silvery gray in winter, becomes almost white in summer under the influence of heat and drought. It reminds us of Tanacetum densum subsp amani in a lot of ways.

The flowers are pure white, flat topped umbels – the typical Achillea flower shapes – appearing in the spring, between April and June.

The foliage is evergreen, allowing for interest in the winter as well.

The plant forms a valuable-looking ground cover, 15–25 cm tall in flower and 10–15 cm for the foliage, depending on growing conditions.

All yarrows love the sun and are highly hardy.

Non-invasive, hardy, soil-undemanding, and water-efficient, it is ideal for dry, arid slopes. This yarrow also helps suppress weeds and adds a refined touch to the garden.

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👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾: 

• • ☀️Prefers full sun and dry, well-drained soil. 
  • 💧Applying mulch around the clump will help retain moisture for a longer period.
  • ✂️ Cutting back the stems to 20cm from the ground in January promotes a strong reconstitution
  • ➗Divide the clumps as they begin to multiply. It isn’t invasive, but can be a vigorous grower.

🌿LANDSCAPING IDEAS🌿:

• • Jardin Sec: Mediterranean Style Gardening
  • Cushions: Combine with cushion plants such as Geranium sanguineum, Erigeron karvinskianus, Nepeta x faassenii or other yarrows (millefolium, coarctata, nobilis, etc.).
  • Ground covers: Combine with mat-forming perennials such as Artemisia lanata, various Thymus species (longicaulis, ciliatus), Origanum or Rosmarinus prostratus

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The Tale:

This excellent rock garden perennial requires little weeding thanks to its allelopathic properties*

Allelopathy, as our Thyme friends will remind us, is the ability of certain plants to synthesize compounds in their roots that inhibits the germination and growth of other seeds – assuring total dominance of a species once it becomes large enough.

Part of the Asteraceae family