Pollinator plant

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

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Common names

55 names

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

English
  • arrowroot[2]
  • bad man's plaything[2]
  • bloodwort[2]
  • Boreal yarrow
  • California yarrow
  • carpenter's weed[2]
  • Coast yarrow
  • Common Yarrow[1][3][2]
  • common yarrow complex
  • death flower[2]
  • Devil's Nettle[1][2]
  • devil's plaything[2]
  • Dog Daisy[1][2]
  • dog fennel[2]
  • eerie[2]
  • field hop[2]
  • Giant yarrow
  • gordaldo[2]
  • hundred leaved grass[2]
  • knight's milfoil[2]
  • knyghten[2]
  • Milfoil[1][2]
  • nosebleed plant[2]
  • old man's mustard[2]
  • old man's pepper[2]
  • Pacific yarrow
  • plumajillo[2]
  • sanguinary[2]
  • seven-year's love[2]
  • snake's grass[2]
  • soldier[2]
  • Soldier's Woundwort[1][2]
  • staunchweed[2]
  • thousand seal[2]
  • thousand-leaf[2]
  • thousand-seal[2]
  • Thousandleaf[1]
  • Westen Yarrow[1]
  • Western yarrow[2]
  • white yarrow[2]
  • Yarrow[1][2]
Dutch
  • Duizendblad[2]
  • Gewoon duizendblad[2]
French
  • Achillée millefeuille[2]
  • Millefeuille
German
  • Gemeine Schafgarbe[2]
  • Gewöhnliche Schafgarbe[2]
Italian
  • achillea millefoglie[2]
Portuguese
  • milefólio[2]
Spanish
  • Ciprés de invierno[2]
  • Ciprés de Judea[2]
  • Ciprés de perla[2]
  • milenrama[2]
  • Milenrama eurasiática[2]
  • Sereno de invierno[2]

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Achillea millefolium — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Yarrow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(8); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Common Yarrow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Devil's Nettle — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Dog Daisy — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Milfoil — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Soldier's Woundwort — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Thousandleaf — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
  • Westen Yarrow — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(7); heading: Common Name(s):; Achillea millefolium.
[2] Achillea millefolium — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • yarrow — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • western yarrow — results[1].names[82]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • duizendblad — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Gemeine Schafgarbe — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Gewöhnliche Schafgarbe — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • arrowroot — results[1].names[64]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • bad man's plaything — results[1].names[61]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • bloodwort — results[1].names[58]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • carpenter's weed — results[1].names[65]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • common yarrow — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • death flower — results[1].names[66]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • devil's nettle — results[1].names[52]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • devil's plaything — results[1].names[62]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • dog daisy — results[1].names[83]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • dog fennel — results[1].names[84]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • eerie — results[1].names[67]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • field hop — results[1].names[63]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • gordaldo — results[1].names[49]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • hundred leaved grass — results[1].names[68]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • knight's milfoil — results[1].names[59]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • knyghten — results[1].names[69]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • milfoil — results[1].names[54]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • nosebleed plant — results[1].names[50]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • old man's mustard — results[1].names[70]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • old man's pepper — results[1].names[51]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • plumajillo — results[1].names[48]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • sanguinary — results[1].names[53]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • seven-year's love — results[1].names[71]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • snake's grass — results[1].names[72]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • soldier — results[1].names[73]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • soldier's woundwort — results[1].names[55]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • staunchweed — results[1].names[60]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • thousand seal — results[1].names[74]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • thousand-leaf — results[1].names[56]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • thousand-seal — results[1].names[57]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • white yarrow — results[1].names[85]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Ciprés de invierno — results[1].names[75]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Ciprés de Judea — results[1].names[76]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Ciprés de perla — results[1].names[77]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • milenrama — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Milenrama eurasiática — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Sereno de invierno — results[1].names[78]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Achillée millefeuille — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • achillea millefoglie — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • Gewoon duizendblad — results[1].names[96]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
  • milefólio — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 52821; Achillea millefolium.
[3] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • common yarrow — Page 3, column 2, row top 637 pt; common-name cell after Achillea millefolium.; Achillea millefolium.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Achillea millefolium is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Asteraceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.3–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.3–1.17 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Prostrate; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe, western Asia, North America,

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Achillea millefolium in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low

Solitary wild bees

High suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Low
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Herbaceous
Size
Small
Dimensions
0.60 m high × 0.60 m wide
Growth rate
Slow
Lifecycle
Perennial

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
4-8
Moisture
Moist, Well-drained
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Partial shade, Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Leaves, Seasoning, Tea
Functions
Companion planting, Cosmetic, Dye, Essential oil, Repellent, Pollinator plant, Ground cover, Fragrant
Edibility
3 out of 5
Medicinal value
4 out of 5

Leaves can be eaten both raw and cooked. They have a fairly bitter taste and are suitable for adding to salads, especially when they are young. These leaves are also used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. Yarrow is very nutritious, but should be consumed in moderation, as large amounts can be toxic or cause skin rashes. The flowers and leaves can be used to make tea, while the flowers can be used to produce an essential oil that is used as a flavoring in soft drinks.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Achillea millefolium — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 3719027; ID 97H4; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3719027; ID 97H4; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Achillea millefolium — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 3, column 2, entry Achillea millefolium (top 637 pt)

    Source checked on .