Plant Form: Perennial sub-shrub
Water Use: Very low
Mature Size: 1-2 ft. tall and wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Spring (March – May), Summer (June – August)
Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 5°F
Native to: California, Baja California
Golden Yarrow is especially welcome in the garden because of its long blooming season. This compact perennial or small shrub is a highly variable plant, with northern California forms looking much different than central or southern California plants. The slender, numerous stems support wooly, deeply-lobed leaves, and are topped with slightly rounded flower clusters each holding up to 30 flower heads. The golden-yellow flowers provide months of bright color, attracting bees and butterflies. Golden yarrow is easy to grow, has no serious pests or disease issues, tolerates clay soil, and happily resists browsing by rabbits and deer. It needs very little water once established, and benefits from being cut back to 3-4 inches after flowering to maintain a compact form. This drought-tolerant beauty brightens up flower beds and borders, rock gardens, Mediterranean gardens, and butterfly gardens, especially when planted in groups or massed.
THIS MONTH IN YOUR DESERT-SMART LANDSCAPE
Good season to plant or transplant palms or cacti
- Prune fast-growing trees like mesquite, palo verde, and acacias to reduce chances of wind damage; don’t remove more than 20 percent of the plant’s foliage at any one time to avoid stress or sunburn of trunk and branches.
- Keep adding to mulches throughout the summer to conserve water, keep roots cools, and deter weeds. Water well before applying the mulch (or through an opening in the mulch), or you’ll insulate dry soil rather than moist soil.
- Continue to deadhead spent flowers for a longer bloom cycle.