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Moonshine Yarrow
Achillea x ‘Moonshine’
Description & Overview
Moonshine Yarrow is a compact perennial of aromatic, ferny, gray-green foliage. Sulfur yellow flowers are produced all summer on sturdy stems and will rebloom when deadheaded. Attractive seedheads persist over winter.
Core Characteristics
Suggested Uses:
Moonshine Yarrow is a tough, drought tolerant plant ideal for soil stabilization and difficult sites. Heat is no problem as long as moisture levels are low. Use Moonshine Yarrow as a border, massing, or to naturalize a space. Be sure to give it room to spread.
Wildlife Value:
Pollinators love the dense and profuse flower clusters of Moonshine Yarrow. Bees, butterflies, and other insects love the long-lasting blooms.
Maintenance Tips:
To maintain its shape and encourage reblooming, Moonshine Yarrow should be cut back halfway after its blooms are spent. The seed heads can be left up over winter on the sturdy stems, or the plant can be cut back to the ground in late fall or early spring. Water sparingly (if at all) once established.
Pests/Problems:
Stem Rot, Powdery Mildew, and Botrytis can damage the plant if sited in shade or areas with poor drainage. Water sparingly to prevent disease issues.
In heavy storms or high winds, the plant can become flattened. Avoid this by cutting back Moonshine Yarrow after its first set of blooms are spent.
Moonshine Yarrow is a vigorous spreader. To keep the plant in a more tidy shape, divide it every 3 to 4 years.
Leaf Lore:
Moonshine Yarrow makes a great cut flower, and its aromatic foliage makes it deer resistant.
Achillea is a cosmopolitan genus of plants in the Asteraceae (family names should be left as plain text, only genus and species should be italicized) family. Moonshine Yarrow is a hybrid, although there are conflicting reports about the species from which it is hybridized. It has been listed as a cross between A. clypeolata, native to the Balkan peninsula, and A. aegyptiaca var. taygetea, also known as Egyptian Yarrow. Others have reported it as a hybrid between our native A. millefolium and Egyptian Yarrow. Due to the cosmopolitan nature of Yarrow species, combined with the amount of hybridization within the genus, defining the true parentage of Moonshine Yarrow is difficult to say the least.
The genus name is a reference to the Greek hero Achilles, who used the yarrow plant’s coagulant properties to treat the wounds of his soldiers.
Companion Plants:
Moonshine Yarrow works well as a border, mass, or to naturalize a space. Pair it with plants of similar moisture requirements to create a low maintenance bed. Butterflyweed, Hairy Wild Petunia, and Little Spire Russian Sage are all excellent candidates.
