Achillea m. 'Salmon Beauty' (yarrow)

This perennial yarrow is a great ground cover that forms a spreading mat to three feet wide of fern-like, mid-green leaves. The large flat heads, rising 18 inches above the foliage have salmon-pink flowers that fade to creamy yellow beginning in late spring and continuing through summer.   This plant acclimates to clay soil and grows quickly and are the best perennials for planting in hot, dry and sunny locations.  Trim back after the first flush of bloom to maintain a compact habit and you can easily divide the plants in fall or early spring. 

Yarrow has deep roots that mine the subsoil for potassium, calcium, copper, phosphorus and magnesium, which makes this plant a nutrient rich mulch.  

Known as herbal militaris, for its use in staunching the flow of blood from wounds.  Native Americans had many uses for the plant, including pain relief, fever reduction, and blood issues of all kinds.  You can also use this to calm and heal rashes, bug bites, bee stings, cuts, and burns.  

You can dry the flowers and use them as confetti in batter.

A really great native to attract insects like hoverflies.  Hoverflie larvae eat aphids as their primary food source, they are so tiny that the naked eye cannot see them underneath leaves.  Adult hoverflies pollinate plants and feed mainly on nectar.

- Plant in full sun to light shade

- Irrigate occasionally to infrequently

- Hardy to 0 degrees

- Attracts bees and butterflies

- Deer tolerant 

- Native to California