Paprika yarrow

Sun

Full sun; flowering is weaker and stems are more likely to flop in shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; once rooted, water during prolonged dry spells rather than keeping the soil constantly moist.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil, preferably of low to moderate fertility. Avoid wet winter soil and heavy, poorly drained clay.

Height

1.5-2.5 ft (0.45-0.75 m)

Spread

1.5-2 ft (0.45-0.6 m), spreading farther over time by creeping rhizomes

Flowers

Early to late summer, sometimes repeating into early autumn after cutting back; red flower clusters with yellow centres fade to salmon, pink and pale cream.

Foliage

Aromatic, finely divided, fern-like green to grey-green leaves.

Growth

Moderate to fast

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.4 ft (0.42 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.8 ft (0.55 m)

4. After 3 years

   2 ft (0.6 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US, Canada and the UK

Invasive in

Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water newly planted clumps when the root zone starts to dry; reduce watering once established.
• Avoid routine feeding and rich manure, which encourage soft, floppy growth.
• Keep the crown clear of thick, damp mulch; gravel mulch suits well-drained sites.
• Divide crowded clumps every two to three years, discarding woody or bare centres.
• Remove wandering shoots if the clump spreads beyond its allotted space.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems back to leafy growth after the first flush to encourage more flowers. Remove dead stems in late winter or early spring before new growth develops.

Early spring

Cut away old stems and divide crowded clumps as growth starts.

Spring

Plant in full sun and well-drained soil; water until roots establish.

Early summer

Check for aphids on soft shoots and wash off small colonies with water.

Summer

Deadhead faded flower clusters or cut stems for indoor arrangements.

Late summer

Trim finished flowering stems to leafy growth and remove unwanted spreading shoots.

Autumn

Leave sound stems for winter structure if desired, but remove diseased foliage.

• Plant in repeated groups through a sunny border to carry warm red and salmon tones between other perennials.
• Pair with upright blue salvias and catmint for contrasting flower shapes and colours.
• Mix with ornamental grasses in naturalistic planting, where the flat flower heads contrast with fine leaves and airy seed heads.
• Use in gravel gardens and dry, sunny borders with other plants that dislike rich, wet soil.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Dry gravel garden, Hot border and Desert / xeriscape.

Plant it with: Catmint, Perennial salvia, Russian sage, Purple coneflower, Feather reed grass and Lamb's ears.

Wildlife: The accessible flower clusters attract bees, hoverflies, butterflies and other beneficial insects. It is often left alone by deer and rabbits, though neither resistance is guaranteed.

• Flopping stems: move to full sun, avoid fertiliser and excessive watering, and divide congested clumps.
• Crown or root rot: improve drainage or move to a raised bed; remove rotted plants and avoid persistently wet soil.
• Powdery mildew: increase spacing and air circulation, and remove badly affected foliage.
• Aphids: wash colonies off young shoots with water and allow ladybirds and other predators to feed.

Yarrow is toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten; leaves and flowers contain compounds that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea or other digestive upset. For people, handling may cause contact dermatitis, especially in those sensitive to the daisy family, and eating substantial amounts can be harmful; do not treat this ornamental cultivar as food.

Where it spreads. Can spread aggressively by rhizomes in garden beds and lawns in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. The species is naturalised and considered an environmental weed in parts of southern Australia, including Victoria and Tasmania; this concern applies to yarrow generally, not a separate listing for 'Paprika'.

• Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

  The foliage and growth habit are similar, but wild forms usually have white or pale pink flowers rather than the red, yellow-centred flowers of 'Paprika'.

• Fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina)

  Usually taller, with larger golden-yellow flower plates and generally coarser, grey-green foliage.

• Red valerian (Centranthus ruber)

  Has broad, undivided leaves and loose clusters of small tubular flowers, rather than feathery foliage and flat clusters of tiny daisies.

Achillea refers to Achilles and the plant's traditional association with treating wounds, millefolium means 'thousand-leaved', and 'Paprika' refers to its spicy red flower colour.

Propagation. Divide healthy clumps in spring, replanting vigorous outer sections. Division or basal cuttings preserve the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably match 'Paprika'.

Accepted botanical name

Achillea millefolium

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Introduced in Canada, Hawaii, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Northwest Territorie, Norway, Nunavut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Primorye and Prince Edward I..

Measured

Soil pH 6 to 8. Average height 16 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.