Achillea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Achillea |
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| Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
| Supertribe: | Asterodae |
| Tribe: | Anthemideae |
| Genus: | Achillea L. |
| Type species | |
| Achillea millefolium |
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| Synonyms | |
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Achillea is a group of flowering plants, often called yarrows. They belong to the Asteraceae family, which includes daisies and sunflowers. These plants were first described by a famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The name Achillea comes from the Greek legend of Achilles. Story says that Achilles' soldiers used yarrow plants to help heal their wounds. That's why some people call them "allheal" or "bloodwort."
These plants mostly grow naturally in Europe, parts of Asia with mild weather, and North America. When people say "yarrow," they usually mean Achillea millefolium, but there are many other types of Achillea too.
Contents
What Do Yarrows Look Like?
Yarrow plants usually have leaves that look a bit frilly, are often hairy, and smell nice. At the top of their stems, you'll see large, flat groups of small flowers. These flowers can be white, yellow, orange, pink, or red. Many different insects visit them, helping the plants to spread their pollen.
Who Eats Yarrow Plants?
Some types of Lepidoptera (like butterflies and moths) have larvae (caterpillars) that eat Achillea species. You can find a list of these insects that feed on Achillea plants.
Growing Yarrows in Gardens
Many Achillea species and their special types, called cultivars, are very popular for gardens. They are easy to grow and add a lot of color.
Award-Winning Yarrow Plants
Here are some Achillea plants that have won the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit because they are excellent garden plants:
- Achillea ageratifolia
- Achillea 'Coronation Gold'
- Achillea 'Credo'
- Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold'
- Achillea filipendulina 'Gold Plate'
- Achillea 'Heidi'
- Achillea 'Hella Glashoff'
- Achillea 'Lachsschönheit' (Galaxy Series)
- Achillea × lewisii 'King Edward'
- Achillea 'Lucky Break'
- Achillea 'Martina'
- Achillea millefolium 'Lansdorferglut'
- Achillea 'Mondpagode'
- Achillea 'Moonshine'
- Achillea 'Summerwine'
Types of Yarrow Plants
There are many different kinds of Achillea plants. Scientists have named almost 1,000 different types! It can be tricky to decide which ones are full species and which are just variations. For a good list of recognized species, many people follow the list kept by the Kew Botanic Gardens in London.
Some Common Yarrow Species
Here are a few examples of the many Achillea species:
- Achillea aegyptiaca – Egyptian yarrow
- Achillea ageratifolia – Balkan yarrow, Greek yarrow
- Achillea ageratum – sweet yarrow, sweet Nancy
- Achillea alpina – Chinese yarrow, Siberian yarrow
- Achillea atrata – black yarrow
- Achillea clavennae – silvery yarrow
- Achillea distans – Alps yarrow
- Achillea filipendulina – fernleaf yarrow
- Achillea millefolium – common yarrow, milfoil
- Achillea nana – dwarf alpine yarrow
- Achillea nobilis – noble yarrow
- Achillea ptarmica – sneezewort
- Achillea tomentosa – woolly yarrow
- Achillea wilsoniana – Wilson's yarrow
Gallery
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Achillea asplenifolia
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Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
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Silvery Yarrow (Achillea clavenae)
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Sweet Yarrow (Achillea ageratum)
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Fernleaf Yarrow (Achillea filipendula)
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Macro image of Yarrow in Sweden
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See also
In Spanish: Milenrama para niños
