Yarrow Companion Plants

If you want a healthier, more resilient garden, choosing the right neighbors for your plants is key. Yarrow companion plants are a fantastic place to start, as this hardy herb gets along with many others. By placing yarrow near the right partners, you can boost growth, deter pests, and create a beautiful, low-maintenance space that practically takes care of itself.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a tough perennial with fern-like leaves and clusters of tiny flowers. It’s drought-tolerant, attracts beneficial insects, and can even improve soil quality. But its true magic happens when it’s paired thoughtfully. Let’s look at how to make the most of yarrow in your garden.

This list covers the best companions for yarrow, broken down by the benefits they provide. Consider your garden’s needs when making your selections.

Plants That Benefit from Yarrow’s Pest Control

Yarrow is famous for attracting predatory insects like ladybugs, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps. These insects feast on common garden pests. Planting yarrow near these crops offers them a natural shield.

Tomatoes: Yarrow helps draw away aphids and attracts wasps that control tomato hornworms.
Peppers & Eggplants: Similar to tomatoes, these nightshades benefit from the same pest-patrolling insects.
Fruit Trees: Underplanting with yarrow can reduce aphid and codling moth pressures by boosting beneficial insect populations.
Brassicas (Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale): The beneficials yarrow attracts will help manage cabbage worms and aphids that love these plants.

Plants That Improve Yarrow’s Health and Bloom

While yarrow helps others, some plants return the favor. These companions can enhance yarrow’s growth or extend its flowering period.

Lavender: Shares similar sun and soil needs (full sun, well-drained soil). Their combined blooms are a powerhouse for pollinators.
Rosemary & Sage: These Mediterranean herbs thrive in the same conditions as yarrow and create a wonderful, fragrant grouping that deters some pests with their scent.
Sedum (Stonecrop): Another drought-tolerant partner, sedum provides contrasting texture and flowers at a different time, extending garden interest.

Companions for Aesthetic & Supportive Roles

Yarrow’s flat flower clusters and fine foliage make it a great design element. These pairings focus on beauty and physical support.

Ornamental Grasses: The airy, vertical forms of grasses like Feather Reed Grass contrast beautifully with yarrow’s mounded shape.
Echinacea (Coneflower) & Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan): These prairie-style plants create a stunning, long-blooming display that supports loads of wildlife.
Taller Herbs: Yarrow can act as a living mulch around the base of taller herbs like dill or fennel, helping to keep soil moist and cool.

Plants to Avoid Planting Near Yarrow

Yarrow is aggressive and can be a poor companion for plants that need lots of nutrients or water, as it may outcompete them. Be cautious with these:

Cucumbers & Melons: These vines need consistent moisture and rich soil; yarrow’s dry preferences and spreading roots can create to much competition.
Mint: Both are vigorous spreaders. Planting them together can lead to an uncontrollable turf war in your garden bed.
Basil: Basil prefers richer, more consistently moist soil than yarrow typically tolerates well.

Step-by-Step Guide to Planting with Yarrow

Follow these simple steps to successfully introduce yarrow and its companions into your garden.

Step 1: Choose the Right Yarrow Variety

Common white yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is the best for companion planting benefits. For color, look for cultivars like ‘Moonshine’ (yellow) or ‘Paprika’ (red). Ensure you’re getting a variety suitable for your climate zone.

Step 2: Prepare the Planting Site

Yarrow and most of its companions need full sun—at least 6 to 8 hours daily. The soil must be well-draining. If you have heavy clay, amend it with compost or grit. Yarrow thrives in poor to average soil, so avoid adding to much fertilizer.

Step 3: Plan Your Layout

Sketch your bed. Place taller plants (like fruit trees or tall herbs) to the north, so they don’t shade sun-lovers. Plant yarrow in clusters of 3-5 plants for visual impact and to better attract insects. Space plants according to their mature size, remembering yarrow can spread.

Step 4: Planting and Initial Care

Dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the plant’s root ball.
Place the yarrow in the hole, ensuring the crown (where stem meets roots) is level with the soil surface.
Backfill and water thoroughly to settle the soil.
Water regularly only until plants are established. After that, yarrow and its drought-tolerant companions will need minimal supplemental watering.

Step 5: Ongoing Maintenance

Deadhead spent yarrow flowers to encourage more blooms and prevent excessive self-seeding. In late fall or early spring, cut back the old foliage to make room for new growth. Every few years, divide overgrown yarrow clumps in spring or fall to keep them vigorous.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overwatering: This is the fastest way to kill yarrow. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Over-fertilizing: Rich soil leads to leggy, floppy yarrow growth. It prefers lean conditions.
Ignoring its spread: Yarrow can be invasive. Plant it where it has room or be prepared to manage its growth by dividing regularly.
Poor spacing: Crowding plants reduces air circulation, which can lead to fungal issues like powdery mildew on some companions.

FAQ About Yarrow Companions

What are the best companion plants for yarrow in vegetable gardens?

For veggies, focus on tomatoes, peppers, brassicas, and fruit trees. Yarrow’s ability to attract beneficial insects provides the most direct benefit to these crops.

Can I plant yarrow with roses?

Yes, yarrow is an excellent rose companion. It attracts ladybugs and other predators that control aphids, a common rose pest. Their aesthetics also complement each other well.

Does yarrow improve soil?

Yarrow is a dynamic accumulator. Its deep roots pull up nutrients like potassium and calcium from the subsoil. When the leaves die back, these nutrients become available to shallower-rooted plants nearby.

Is yarrow a good companion for herbs?

Absolutely. It pairs perfectly with other Mediterranean herbs like lavender, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. They all share similar needs for sun and well-drained, somewhat poor soil.

How does yarrow help with pest control?

Yarrow’s broad, flat flower clusters offer a perfect landing pad and food source (nectar and pollen) for beneficial insects. These insects then stick around to lay eggs and eat pest insects in your garden.

What flowers grow well with yarrow?

Great flowering companions include echinacea, rudbeckia, coreopsis, sedum, and ornamental grasses. Choose plants that enjoy full sun and don’t need rich, wet soil to thrive alongside yarrow.

Integrating yarrow into your garden plan is a smart move for natural health. By choosing the right yarrow companion plants, you’re not just planting a flower—you’re adding a multifunctional tool that supports an entire ecosystem. Start with one or two pairings, observe the results, and enjoy the increased harmony and resilience in your garden space. The bees and butterflies will thank you to.