Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Achillea Millefolium Rubra Red
Achillea Millefolium Rubra Red
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Achillea millefolium 'Rubra' Seeds
If you want a garden that can survive a heatwave, ignore poor soil, and still look beautiful, Red Yarrow is your answer. A colourful variant of our native British wildflower, 'Rubra' produces large, flat-topped flower heads made up of hundreds of tiny, cerise-red blooms that fade to soft pink as they age.
The feathery, fern-like foliage is aromatic and evergreen in mild winters, providing excellent ground cover. But the real magic is its wildlife value. It is a magnet for hoverflies, ladybirds, and solitary bees, making it an essential addition to any wildlife garden, meadow, or low-maintenance border.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Achillea millefolium is a Hardy Native Perennial.
The name *millefolium* means "thousand leaves," referring to its delicate, ferny foliage. Because it is a native species, it is incredibly tough. It thrives in "lean" conditions—give it rich soil and lots of water, and it will actually become floppy and weak. Treat it mean to keep it keen!
The "Soldier's Woundwort": Historically, Yarrow was carried by soldiers to staunch the bleeding of wounds. While we grow it for beauty today, it has a rich history as a healing herb.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Yarrow is incredibly easy to start from seed.
Germination:
Sow indoors from February to April, or direct sow in autumn. Surface sow onto moist compost and do not cover (seeds need light to germinate). Keep warm (15-20°C). Germination takes 10-14 days.
Where to Sow:
Plant out after the last frost. It demands full sun and well-drained soil. It hates winter wet, so if you have heavy clay, add grit to the planting hole.
Care While Growing:
Deadheading: Cut back faded flower heads to encourage a second flush of blooms in late summer. However, leaving some heads over winter provides a structural silhouette and a place for insects to hibernate.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Achillea millefolium 'Rubra' |
| Common Name | Red Yarrow / Milfoil |
| Hardiness | H7 (Very Hardy Native Perennial) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 60cm |
| Spread | ↔️ 60cm (Spreading) |
| Spacing | 🌱 45cm apart |
| Great for | 🦋 Wildflower Meadows ☀️ Drought Gardens ✂️ Dried Flowers 🏡 Cottage Borders |
| Seed Count | Approx. 1000 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
Achillea's flat heads are the perfect "landing pad" shape to contrast with spikes and grasses:
- 💜 Salvia nemorosa: The Shape Contrast. The vertical purple spikes of Salvia cut through the horizontal red plates of the Yarrow. Both love the same dry, sunny conditions.
- 🌾 Stipa tenuissima: The Texture. The soft, blonde grass softens the solid blocks of colour from the Yarrow, creating a relaxed, "prairie" style planting.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow indoors Spring/Autumn. Flowers June to August.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Indoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||
| Plant Out | 🌱 | 🌱 | ||||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Drying Tip
Yarrow is one of the easiest flowers to dry. Simply cut the stems when the flowers are fully open, strip off the lower leaves, and hang upside down in a warm, dry place. The red colour fades slightly to a vintage terracotta, which looks stunning in autumn wreaths.
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
Achillea is a superstar for wildlife. It is listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list, attracting a huge range of beneficial insects including hoverflies, lacewings, and solitary bees.
