FLIMBY: Yarrow an easy-care, sturdy flowering plant

No one is going to ooh and ahh over yarrow. It's not showy. It doesn't star in bouquets. It doesn't demand attention.

But yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is one of the easiest flowering perennials to grow. It's drought-tolerant and popular with pollinators, and it blooms steadily from spring to fall. In an arrangement, it can be the native flower that replaces baby's breath. The fragrant, fern-like leaves make it an attractive small shrub in flower beds or herb gardens.

White-flowering yarrow, sometimes called common yarrow, is a native of most of California, but also grows across North America and in Europe. It tolerates many soil types and, once established, requires only low water.

The plant has a long history as a medicinal herb. It was dubbed Achillea for the Greek warrior Achilles, who supposedly carried it into battle to treat wounds. During the U.S. Civil War, it was known as soldier's woundwort. Native Americans have used the herb in various ways to treat ailments such as head colds, fever, bowel complaints, cuts and nosebleeds.

The white and yellow yarrows are most common, and attract many small beneficial insects who like the "landing pad" the flower clusters provide. But many cultivars have been developed that can add subtle layers of color to a residential flower garden or meadow planting. Colors include red-orange ('Paprika'), salmon pink ('Salmon Beauty'),  deep red ('Red Velvet'), purple ('New Vintage Violet') and orange-yellow ('Sassy Summer Sunset').