Is Golden Yarrow A Perennial Or Annual?

What is Golden Yarrow?

Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) is a species of shrubby perennial flowering plant that is native to northwestern California and southern Oregon in the United States. It belongs to the sunflower family Asteraceae and is also known by the common names golden erythronium, golden fleece, and yellow woollybush.

Some key facts about Golden Yarrow:

• Its botanical name is Eriophyllum confertiflorum.
• It is native to northwestern California and southern Oregon in the western United States.
• It is a perennial plant with a shrubby growth habit, growing 30-90 cm tall.
• It has clusters of golden yellow flowers that bloom in spring and summer.
• It grows best in full sun and well-drained soil.
• It is drought tolerant once established.

Golden Yarrow is valued for its long bloom season and showy golden yellow flower heads, which stand out brightly against its fuzzy gray-green foliage. It is popular in native plant gardens, rock gardens, and landscape designs in California and Oregon.

Perennial or Annual

Perennials are plants that live for more than two years, often thriving for many years once established. They regrow from their rootstock year after year. Some common examples of perennials include peonies, coneflowers, and lavender. Perennials go dormant after the growing season and reemerge the following spring.

Annuals complete their entire lifecycle in one season. They germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die all within a single growing season. Common annual flowers include marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos. Annuals must be replanted each year from seed.

The key difference between perennials and annuals is their lifespan. Perennials persist for multiple years, while annuals live for just one season before dying. This lifespan difference affects how the plants are cultivated and maintained. Gardeners must replant annuals each year, while perennials may thrive for years in the same location. Perennials require less annual maintenance once established, while annuals allow flexibility to change color schemes and varieties year to year.

Source: The Difference Between Perennial and Annual Plants

Life Cycle

Golden yarrow grows as a perennial. Perennials are plant species that live for multiple years, going dormant in winter and re-emerging in spring. Unlike annuals that complete their entire life cycle in one growing season, perennials regrow from the same root system year after year. Golden yarrow establishes a deep taproot and mat of rhizomes that allow the plant to overwinter and re-sprout each spring. Once established, golden yarrow will continue growing in the same area for many years.

Growth Habit

Golden yarrow is a herbaceous perennial that grows upright to a height of 3-4 feet tall (Wildseed Farms). The stems are tall and slender, but sturdy enough to support the flower heads without drooping. Golden yarrow has a mounded form and does not spread aggressively via rhizomes. It grows as a single erect clump from one crown, with several stems emerging from the base. The stems and leaves give golden yarrow a vase-shaped silhouette.

Leaves

Golden yarrow (1, 2) has finely divided fern-like leaves. The leaves are pinnately lobed one or two times, with one to three pairs of primary lobes (2). The individual leaf segments are linear to lance-shaped. Leaves are relatively small, less than two inches (5 cm) long and are sessile (stalkless) (2). The foliage is gray-green in color.

Flowers

Golden Yarrow produces flat-topped clusters of bright yellow flowers in the summer. Each flower cluster contains 30-100 tiny individual flowers, with 5 ray florets surrounding a dense cluster of 10-20 disc florets. The ray florets provide the showy golden yellow color. The disc florets are a darker yellow. The flat flower clusters create an umbrella-like appearance, which inspired the common name of ‘umbrella plant’ for Golden Yarrow (Golden Yarrow Flower Essence). The flowers bloom from early to mid summer and last about 6 weeks (Golden Yarrow Stock Photos and Pictures – 680 Images).

Bloom Time

Golden yarrow flowers primarily bloom during the summer months. According to PictureThis, golden yarrow blooms in spring and summer. The bright yellow flower heads begin appearing in early summer and continue blooming into mid to late summer.

The flowering period lasts for several weeks or more. Each flower head contains numerous small disc florets with bright golden yellow petals. During the peak bloom time in mid-summer, the plant is smothered in cheerful yellow blossoms.

Hardiness Zones

According to Gardenia.net, Golden Yarrow grows best in USDA plant hardiness zones 4-9. This means it can withstand minimum winter temperatures down to -20 to -30 Fahrenheit.

In the warmest zones like 9 and 10, Golden Yarrow will bloom from early spring into late fall if heavily mulched to keep the soil cool and moist. It can thrive in both hot and dry climates as well as areas with cold winters.

With its wide hardiness range, Golden Yarrow can grow well across most of the continental United States. Just be sure to choose the right location in your garden that matches its preferred growing conditions.

Soil

Golden Yarrow thrives in well-drained soil and does not tolerate wet or soggy conditions. It prefers sandy or loamy soils that drain readily after rain or watering. Heavy, clay soils should be amended with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage. The ideal pH range for Golden Yarrow is between 6.0-7.0.

Before planting, it’s recommended to test your soil drainage by digging a hole 12-inches deep and filling it with water. If the water drains completely within 12 hours, the soil is suitable. If water remains after 12 hours, more amendments are needed.

Additionally, a soil test can determine pH and nutrient levels. Local county extension offices often provide low-cost testing. When preparing a bed for Golden Yarrow, incorporate 3-4 inches of compost or aged manure to enrich the soil. Work compost to a depth of 8-12 inches for best results.

https://www.almanac.com/plant/yarrow

Uses

Golden Yarrow has many versatile uses in landscaping, as cut flowers, and in herbal medicine. As a hardy perennial, Golden Yarrow makes an excellent addition to flower beds, rock gardens, and borders. Its fern-like foliage provides interesting texture and its bright golden yellow flower clusters add long-lasting color in the summer (Yarrow: A Medicinal Herb with Countless Uses). The flowers can be used fresh or dried as striking cut flowers in floral arrangements.

Additionally, Golden Yarrow has a long history of medicinal uses. Its leaves and flowers can be brewed into an herbal tea that is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Traditionally it has been used to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, treat colds and flu, reduce fever, and aid digestion (Yarrow: Health Benefits, Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Warnings). The tea can also help induce sweating to break a fever. Externally, a poultice of yarrow leaves is useful for treating minor wounds and stopping bleeding.