Yarrow vs Yellow Mountain Avens - TreeTime.ca

Yarrow vs Yellow Mountain Avens

Achillea borealis (Previously Achillea millefolium)

Dryas drummondii

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Yarrow
Yellow Mountain Avens

Yarrow is a herbaceous, native wildflower that is found across Canada. It features large, flat clusters of tiny white flowers. The blooms attract a variety of pollinators, making it an ideal choice for pollinator gardens. While partial shade is tolerated, the best flowering occurs in full sun. Yarrow is resistant to deer and rabbits, making it both a beautiful and practical addition to your landscape.

The entire plant is edible, but leaves and flowers are most commonly consumed. They have a strong licorice scent and a mild sweet flavor that is similar to tarragon. Yarrow leaves can also be used as a natural insect repellent.

It is important to plant Yarrow in the right place, it can spread quickly via both rhizomes and self-seeding. Deadheading the spent flowers will extend the bloom season and can help limit self-seeding.

Yellow Mountain Avens is a native perennial wildflower with bright yellow buttercup-like blooms. The nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. By thriving at higher elevations, it helps sustain pollinator populations and provides one of the earliest sources of nectar and pollen in alpine habitats.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Mountain Avens enriches soil fertility and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. It forms dense, spreading mats of evergreen foliage that act as a groundcover and help stabilize soil. Often among the first species to establish in disturbed alpine sites such as glacial outwash or landslides, it is well-suited for alpine revegetation, erosion control, naturalization, and ecological restoration projects in harsh, rocky environments.

Yarrow Quick Facts

Yellow Mountain Avens Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: mat-forming, creeping
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none

Toxicity: toxic to dogs, cats, and horses

Foliage: evergreen, leathery
Flowers: clusters of white flowers
Flowers: yellow, buttercup-like, nodding
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Bloom time: spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON, QC, NB, NL, YT, NT
Other Names: common yarrow, devils nettle, milfoil, western yarrow, white yarrow
Other Names: drummonds dryad, drummonds mountain avens, yellow dryad