How to Grow Wild Yarrow

Use wild yarrow if you live between U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. The plant has the ability to tolerate cold, but also does well in places that feature hot summers. When opting for cultivars of wild yarrow, check their cold hardiness, since some are less tolerant of cold than others are.

Locate your wild yarrow in dry to medium moisture soils in a full sun site. Good drainage is vital for the long-term health of wild yarrow. In the wild, yarrow grows in waste places such as along roadsides and in old fields. When you first plant your yarrow, water it regularly until it establishes itself. Once established, wild yarrow displays excellent tolerance to drought, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Situate your wild yarrow in poor quality soils if possible. Yarrow handles nearly every type of soil, but it does best in those that are average or below average in terms of fertility. Fertilizing the wild yarrow plant actually causes its flowers to suffer.

Divide your wild yarrow every two years. This prevents the yarrow from escaping from its boundaries in your garden, since it has the ability to spread in an aggressive manner via its underground root system. Dividing the clumps and planting them elsewhere helps to keep the plants vigorous. Divide yarrow in autumn or early in the springtime.

Protect your wild yarrow from strong winds, which can break the stems. Stake the larger wild yarrow plants, as they tend to fall over in humid conditions, especially if you grow them in fertile parts of your landscape. Cutting back the stems before they generate flowers in late spring promotes the development of a taller plant.