Yarrow
by Valerie (October 6, 2000)
Introduced from Europe, and now naturalized all over North America, yarrow (Achillea millefolium), is a very common plant of the forest floor. It does well in partial to full shade, but tolerates quite a variety of soils. The other common name for yarrow is milfoil. 
While it doesn't bloom very often, the leaves of yarrow are very attractive, resembling small, fine ferns. The leaves can also be used to make tea. Wild yarrow has large clusters of small white flowers on elongated stems. However, cultivated varieties are available with bright yellow, or magenta blossoms. These seem a little more susceptible to the heat and often die back quite a bit. |