Yarrow vs Twinflower - TreeTime.ca

Yarrow vs Twinflower

Achillea borealis (Previously Achillea millefolium)

Linnaea borealis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Yarrow
Twinflower

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.

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.
Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.
Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

Yarrow Quick Facts

Twinflower Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none

Toxicity: toxic to dogs, cats, and horses

Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: clusters of white flowers
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Bloom time: late spring to early summer
Bloom time: 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, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: common yarrow, devils nettle, milfoil, western yarrow, white yarrow
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells