Achillea millefolium ‘Little Moonshine’ (Yarrow)

Achillea millefolium ‘Little Moonshine’ (Yarrow)

Achillea millefolium ‘Little Moonshine’ is one of the newest Yarrows to hit the horticultural market. As the name implies, it is a more compact version of its bigger cousin Achillea ‘Moonshine’. The award-winning ‘Moonshine’ (The Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Merit 1993), grows 2 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, with finely-cut grey-green foliage and lemon-yellow umbel flowers.

‘Little Moonshine’ has finely-cut grey-green foliage that grows about 1 foot wide, and bright golden-yellow umbel flowers atop 9-12” stalks. An umbel is a cluster of flowers that consists of a number of short flowers stalks (called pedicels) which radiate from a common point, somewhat like the ribs of an umbrella. The word was coined in botany in the 1590s, from Latin word umbella, meaning "parasol or sunshade".

The umbel flowers of both ‘Little Moonshine’ and ‘Moonshine’ make for fantastic landing pads for the local butterfly and bee populations. The scented foliage helps to keep deer away.

‘Little Moonshine’ is a good choice for a small garden, and pairs nicely with the brilliant blue flowers of Cerotostigma plumbaginoides (Dwarf plumbago). It blooms spring through autumn, is remarkably heat tolerant, winter hardy, and is moderately drought tolerant once established. It needs full sun and well-drained soil. The Sunset Climate Zones are A1 – A3, 1 – 24.

We are currently growing Achillea millefolium ‘Little Moonshine’ and it’s larger cousin ‘Moonshine’ in 1 gallon containers.