Flowers A to Z - Yarrow

Yarrow, Fern-Leaf Yarrow

Botanical Name :	Achillea filipendulina
Common Name :	Yarrow, Fern-Leaf Yarrow
Product Use :	Cut Flower
Pronunciation :	a-KIL-ee-a fil-i-PEN-du-la
Family Roots :	Is a member of the Compositae (aster) family with common relatives such as zinnia, cosmos, ageratum, sunflower, lettuce and dandelion. Native to Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia.
Personality :	Stems to 40 inches, flat head flowers at stem ends, leaves finely divided at base, 8 x 2 inches in size. While some foliage in this genus have fragrance or a distinctive, this species generally has none.
Availability :	Mostly summer.
Flower Color :	Mostly yellow - gold, some white.
Decorative Life :	Years as a dried flower. Even fresh flowers can last for 3 weeks.
Ethylene Sensitivity :	Low
Post Harvest Care Opportunities :	Stems often go bad before flowers. Therefore, select a flower food, hydration or bleach solution that offers some help to the stems as well as the flowers.
Storage Specifics :	'Coronation Gold' did not tolerate one week storage at 35F whereas 39 or 45F was better suggesting possible chilling sensitivity. As dried flowers, just about any temperature will do as long as disease organisms are prevented from growing.
Preharvest & Harvest Factors:	Harvest when flowers are fully open. Engle et al. (1994) noted that seed-propagated plugs can be stored at about 27F up to 6 weeks if given sufficient light and low temperature treatments prior to storage.
Tidbits :	Named after Achilles, who used the plant medicinally to heal his wounded soldiers. Yarrow stems were used by both the Druids and the Chinese to foretell the future. One yarrow leaf is said to speed decomposition of a wheelbarrow full of raw compost. Species used for cut flowers besides A. filipendulina (yellow) include A. millefolium (many colors), A. ptarmica (white), and A. 'Coronation Gold' (yellow). The Compositae or aster family is vast, with over 20,000 species, and is also one of the most developed families. It was named Compositae because the flowers are actually a "composite" of many individual flowers into one head. Hence, when children pull one "petal" off at a time, saying "she/he loves me, loves me not", they are actually removing a complete flower, not just a petal. While many yarrow species tend to grow and spread rapidly in a garden setting to the point that they become weeds, this species will remain in relatively tight clumps. See More at Hoogasian Flowers A to Z: http://www.hoogasian.com/FlowersAtoZ.html