Yarrow Red Velvet

An exceptional yarrow, Achillea millefolium Red Velvet is a small to medium-sized, fast-growing, mildly spreading, rhizomatous perennial, which flowers from late spring to late summer if dead-headed. The feathery, very finely divided leaves are grey-green. From May to August the leafy stems carry flat heads of tiny rose-red flowers, making a lovely contrast to spire-like flowers, and are very good in a prairie planting. The colour fades very little, and the flowers are attractive to pollinators. The juice of the plant was supposedly used by Achilles to heal the wounds of his soldiers – hence the generic name. Yarrow Red Velvet holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Very well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil, even poor soil
Position: Full sun
Season of interest: Late spring to late summer
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 2’ (60cm) Spread: 1’8” (50cm)