Is There Any Difference Between Agrimonia Pilosa & Agrimonia Eupatoria?

Hairy and Smooth

• Both types of agrimony grow as herbaceous perennials that are usually about 2 feet tall, although they can become taller in their native habitats in Northern Asia and Eastern Europe. The plants have a generally upright growth habit, with only a few branching points, and their unusual leaves have up to 13 leaflets, with additional minor leaflets that sprout between the larger ones. Although both also have tiny hairs on the surfaces of their leaves, the hairy agrimony, or Agrimonia pilosa, gets its name from the especially fuzzy appearance of its leaves.

Flowering Times and Climate

• Both types of agrimony typically have bright yellow, five-petaled flowers carried on tall stems or spikes, with flowers arranged around the spikes. Flowers have a spicy aroma and are followed by small fruits with bristles or burrs. Although flowers look quite similar on the two plants, the smoother form of agrimony flowers in June through August, a bit earlier than the hairy type, which blooms in August through September. Both plants are also able to withstand frost, but the smoother type is a bit more hardy, growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10, while hairy agrimony grows in USDA zones 7 through 10.

Sun and Soil Preferences

• Both smooth and hairy agrimony are tough and especially tolerant plants. In areas with cool summers, both prefer a spot that gets full sun, but also thrive in partial shade in the warmer parts of their range, where summer sun is strong and hot. They grow in any type of garden soil, but need proper drainage for best growth. If your soil contains clay and drains slowly, adding some coarse sand at planting can improve its drainage. Both agrimony species are naturally tolerant of drought, growing well in dry soils in their native habitat, but they need good moisture when grown in containers. Watering well in late fall, before plants enter winter dormancy, also helps keep them healthy until new growth begins in spring.

Feeding and Propagating

• Both types of agrimony are naturally adapted to soil with poor fertility and don't require regular fertilization when cultivated, although you might enhance blooming by feeding monthly during the growing season. Use a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 formula, diluted at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. These plants self-seed readily if you allow fruits to ripen and dry on the plant, or you can propagate either type by dividing an established plant in early spring, just as new growth begins to appear.