Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a wonder plant because it has many different uses and benefits. This medicinal herb can be used to treat all sorts of health conditions, and it is a welcome guest in fruit and vegetable gardens because it will benefit its neighbors in many ways.
It is always better to pair Yarrow with companion plants that benefit most from these herbs. In this guide, we will take a quick look at some of the best yarrow companion plants to select if you want to take advantage of all of the benefits the yarrow plant offers.
What to Grow with Yarrow
Yarrow is a gentle plant that will grow well alongside several different plant species. Not all plants do, however, have the same growing conditions as Yarrow.
While selecting companions to grow with Yarrow, you should first look at its growing needs.
These flowering herbs require lots of warmth and direct sun to flourish. It can grow well in just about any soil, and the herb is drought-tolerant. It is best to grow them in sunny places. In shade, the tall stems can start to flop over and won’t produce as many flowers.
Here is a quick look at some companion plants that will flourish with Yarrow growing next to them.
Fruit Companions for Yarrow
Yarrow is an excellent plant to grow next to fruit plants. This is because Yarrow will attract pollinators to your garden, which can increase your fruit yields. The Yarrow will also protect the fruit plants from pests by attracting predatory species that feed on common fruit tree pests.
When you grow Yarrow around the fruit trees, these herbs will deposit lots of nutrients like potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and copper to the surface, which helps boost the growth of fruit-bearing plants.
Here is a quick look at some fruit plants that can be excellent yarrow companion plants.
Fruit Trees
Fruit-bearing apples, oranges, and other fruit trees can be great selections for yarrow companion planting.
The Yarrow will enhance fruit yields by luring more pollinators like bees and hummingbirds to the garden and will simultaneously deter common fruit tree pests by attracting predatory insects to your garden.
In addition to these benefits, yarrows will look beautiful when they produce vivid blossoms from early spring to late fall.
Berry Fruit Plants
Yarrow can be grown in the same bed as berry plants like blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.
Just be careful to establish the shorter plants in the front. Strawberries should be grown in front of the yarrow while blueberries can be grown amongst the yarrow so all plants can receive adequate sunlight.
Vine Fruit Plants
You can also grow Yarrow with vine fruit plants like grape vines and melons. The Yarrow will provide shade to non-trellised vine plants, and the Yarrow helps protect from common diseases that tend to affect the root system of these plants.
Vine plants like melons can grow rather vigorously, so be careful to leave plenty of room, or your Yarrow can start to suffer.
Vegetable Companions for Yarrow
Yarrow is frequently used in vegetable gardens because it can protect these and other crops from pesky insects that might feed on your vegetables. Western Yarrow can also enhance the poor soil and is great for luring pollinators like butterflies and bees to your garden.
Let’s look at the best vegetable companion plants for Yarrow.
Brassica Vegetables
Plants from the cabbage family (Brassicaceae) are great yarrow companion plants because the Yarrow will perk up these otherwise dull garden beds with their flowers and protect your vegetables from pesky invaders.
Planting Yarrow in the same garden bed as cabbage varieties like head cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and others can help protect these annuals from common pests like aphids and cabbage worms because these flowers will attract predatory insects that can protect from these harmful insects.
Your nutrient-hungry vegetables will grow much more rapidly because the flowers will enhance the soil fertility and give your brassicas the needed nutrients.
It is best to grow Yarrow amongst the brassicas because this will give your vegetable plants access to nutrients, and Yarrow is manageable, so it will not deprive the vegetables of needed sun.
Garlic
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a terrific crop variety to grow around a vegetable garden bed because the powerful scent of garlic will mask the scent of your tasty vegetables.
Garlic and Yarrow will grow very well together during the growing season because both can flourish in most soil types of direct sunlight, and both are resilient in drought conditions.
A row of Yarrow and garlic will deter pests and ensure low maintenance for the other plants in your garden bed.
Best Herb Companions for Yarrow
Yarrow can be successfully grown in the same bed as many herb varieties. By pairing yarrow with herbs in a barrier around fruits and vegetables, you can create a protective shield around these plants and deter pets while attracting pollinators like bees to your garden. Here is a quick look at the best herbs to grow with yarrow.
Thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a low-profile perennial herb that offers many medicinal properties and is handy as a spice.
Thyme and yarrow grow well together because both require nutrient-rich soils, plenty of direct sun, and little water.
These two plants have a similar bloom time and are perfect for luring more beneficial insects to your garden.
Lavender
Lavender (Lavandula) is a beneficial aromatic herb when growing Yarrow because these deer-resistant plantings can protect your plants and lure many pollinators.
Lavender is also easy to grow since it has similar growing requirements, and flowers can make your garden bed look breathtaking.
Basil
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a good companion plant for yarrow because they can mutually benefit one another. Yarro helps protect from common pests like aphids while basil encourages the growth of your yarrow herbs.
These foliage herbs can be established next to one another in the same garden bed since they have a similar height although basil does sometimes prefer a little bit more shade compared to common yarrow.
Oregano
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) can enhance your garden’s protective barrier by acting as a natural pest repellant. The hardy herb produces a powerful scent that disguises the smell of fruits and vegetables in your garden while attracting many other beneficial insects.
You can pair oregano and Yarrow in a barrier around your vegetable garden for optimal effect.
Cilantro
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) or coriander, isn’t the tastiest herb but it can also be a great companion plant if you want to strengthen your garden’s defenses. This is because cilantro naturally repels pests.
Yarrow and coriander have similar growing and watering needs and will flourish in the same garden bed. The coriander can also give a little bit of protection on hot and sunny days because it will grow a little bit taller than the yarrow.
Rosemary
Rosemary (Salvia Rosmarinus) is a beloved herb ideal for creating protective perennial borders around vegetable gardens. The fragrant herb is easy to grow and can be used in various meals.
Rosemary will greatly benefit from the nutrients Yarrow will deposit into the soil because this herb feeds off these nutrients to create nutrient-rich growths that can help your health.
Rosemary can get a bit tall and should be established at the back with Yarrow in the front or around the rosemary bushes.
What NOT to grow with Yarrow
Not all plants can be grown along with Yarrow in the same garden bed. Some plants might make your garden more vulnerable to diseases like powdery mildew, while shorter plants might not get the needed sunlight if grown right next to Yarrow. Here is a quick look at some of the worst companion plants for Yarrow.
Bee Balm
Bee balm (Monarda) only grows up to 2-4 feet tall and can be deprived of sunlight if grown next to yarrow. This plant can quickly start to experience growing issues if you introduce them to the same garden bed.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) or butterfly milkweed is also very short, with a maximum height of just 1 – 2 feet and won’t grow well directly next to where the Yarrow grows.
Cucumbers
It is best to avoid growing yarrow next to plants that are susceptible to powdery mildew or you could soon face a very serious infestation. Avoid growing yarrow next to cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) or you could see lots of fungal diseases or issues with the root system of your plants in your garden.
You can however plant yarrow in a cucumber bed after removing cucumbers to replenish the soil because cucumbers can be very nutrient-hungry.
Final Thoughts
Yarrow has many good companion plants, including fruit plants, vegetable plants, and many herbs. We hope this guide made it easier for you to choose the right companion plant varieties for your garden bed to create a resilient garden against pests that is beautiful to look at and plenty of delicious foods to munch on.
If you are also growing other types of plants, then you should look at some of our other guides. With our guides, you can locate all the best neighboring plants to combine in garden beds and create a harmonious and low-maintenance garden with plenty of great benefits.
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