Common Purple Lilac vs Yarrow - TreeTime.ca

Common Purple Lilac vs Yarrow

Syringa vulgaris

Achillea borealis (Previously Achillea millefolium)

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(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Common Purple Lilac
Yarrow

Common Purple Lilac is a popular lilac. This large shrub provides excellent privacy or wind protection in an attractive package.

Lilac flowers are pleasantly fragrant and add a beautiful lavender colour to your property. Common Purple Lilac is cold hardy, easy to grow, and can tolerate most soil types.

Some people alternate villosa and common purple lilacs to create the impression that the hedge is in flower for almost a full month with the common purple flowering about 2 weeks sooner than the Villosa Lilac.

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.

Common Purple Lilac Quick Facts

Yarrow Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $2.49 - SAVE UP TO 64%
Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (16 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 2.7 m (9 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Flowers: dark purple, extremely fragrant
Flowers: clusters of white flowers
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none

In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)


Toxicity: toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Other Names: common lilac, french hybrid lilac, lilac
Other Names: common yarrow, devils nettle, milfoil, western yarrow, white yarrow