Achillea In A Range Of Bright Sunshine

Gorgeous rose pink flower heads that fade to white as the season progresses.  Achillea 'Oertels Rose' is a vigorous grower and will need dividing to keep it in check.  Flowers all summer beginning in June and will flower straight through fall with some dead heading and light pruning.  This is actually one of our favorite yarrows and we use it repeatedly with yellow daylilies.  As with all achilleas it is not fussy about soils and can tolerate hot, dry locations.  This variety will perform best in full sun to very light shade.  To much shade and the plant gets leggy and flowers sparingly.

They are commonly called yarrow. Achilleas are cheery border, wildflower and rock garden plants with flattened heads in a range of bright colours from white to lemon, pink and red. Today, yarrow's blooms populate garden walks and floral designs alike. Believed to prevent baldness if used as a shampoo, this powerful herb is also believed to cure headaches, kidney infections, stop bleeding and help lessen the severity of the common cold. The colors of Achilleas lend themselves to hot, Mediterranean color schemes. The flattish, umbel-shaped flower-heads are complemented by the spikes of the yellow mulleins and salvias. Some ornamental grasses and sedges, such as carex, also combine well.

Care and Handling

They grow in ordinary garden soil and full sun. Cut off old flowers to prolong the flowering period. Achillea may become a weed if not controlled. Propagation: Divide in the spring. The seed germinates in 2 weeks at temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees. Light is necessary for seed germination. Germination time indoors may be as little as 5 to 7 days.


ACHILLEA FOR THE ROCK GARDEN

The rock garden types of achillea are pretty, low-growing plants with grey leaves and white or yellow flowers in small flat bunches or corymbs.

They should be planted in autumn or in spring in poor sandy or stony loamy soil in a dry, sunny place; the addition of a little mortar rubble is beneficial.In winter it is advisable to cover the woolly leaved types of achillea with pieces of glass raised on wires about 6 in. above the plants; without this protection the plants are liable to perish in excessively wet weather.

The best rock garden kinds of achillea are:Achillea Ageratifolia, 4 inches high with grey.white leaves and white flowers.Achillea Clavennae, Seneca and Ombellata, which have grey-white leaves and white flowers.Achillea Tomentosa; 10 to 12 inches high., with green leaves and yellow flowers.Achillea Ropestris growing to a height of 4 inches with green leaves and white flowers, and the hybrid named King Edward, sulphur-yellow, 9 inches high.