Achillea millefolium Flowerburst Fruitbowl - Yarrow

Achillea millefolium 'Flowerburst Fruitbowl' consists of a mixture of various yarrow seeds, intended to produce a multi-coloured flowering. It allows for easy landscaping of a slope or flowering of a plant bed throughout the summer. Extremely floriferous and easy to cultivate in most soils, these perennials are unmatched in brightening up a bed or border. They also allow for the creation of generous bouquets, fresh or dried, to extend the pleasure indoors.

Yarrow is part of the vast Asteraceae family (formerly Compositae), which, with its 23,500 species, is the second largest in the plant kingdom, just after Orchids. The genus Achillea itself includes dozens of species, the most well-known being Yarrow, which is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere. This plant has been part of traditional pharmacopoeia for over three millennia. Its scientific name comes from the Greek hero Achilles, who is said to have used it to heal his own wounds as well as those of his soldiers during the Trojan War, more than a thousand years before Christ. It is also commonly known as soldier's herb (among many other names). In nature, this plant is mainly found on roadsides or in sparsely wooded areas, as it thrives in full sun and does not like shade. It is a long-lived perennial plant that spreads through underground rhizomes and can occasionally become undesirable in cultivated areas.
There are multiple horticultural varieties, prized for their ease of cultivation and their ability to provide ground cover. This 'Flowerburst Fruitbowl' selection produces branched plants, standing 70 to 75 cm (28 to 30in) tall and just as wide. They have fairly ornamental, deciduous to semi-evergreen foliage, consisting of elongated and narrow leaves, usually measuring 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) long and 1 to 3 cm (0.5 to 1in) wide. With a matte dark green colour, the leaf blades are doubly divided (bipinnately lobed), giving them a graceful appearance reminiscent of small ferns. The foliage has a slightly aromatic scent when crushed, releasing a faint camphor odor.
Flowering begins around the end of June and continues until September. In classic Asteraceae fashion, the inflorescences are corymbs in the shape of more or less flattened domes, composed of a profusion of small flowers that are actually heads. They combine tubular florets at the central disk, while the peripheral florets are ligulate. These inflorescences measure 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) in diameter and form an imposing mass on the delicate vegetation. For a spectacular visual effect, this 'Flowerburst Fruitbowl' mix combines yellow, pink, apricot, raspberry red, and cream white flowers.
Beautiful in the garden, these colorful clumps will also provide stunning fresh bouquets to decorate the house. The floral stems can even be included in dried bouquets with other suitable plants, such as the lovely Love-in-a-mist.

Easy to cultivate in all types of soil, drought-tolerant, Yarrow 'Flowerburst Fruitbowl' will fit perfectly in varied beds that it will enliven with its colors. Its root system will also help stabilize a slope, protecting it from erosion. It can also be used as a groundcover in non-trafficked areas as a substitute for grass. Planted alongside other flowering perennials, it will create a dazzling scene in the garden. Consider the Evening Primrose or Oenothera, another sun-loving perennial that produces abundant blooms in summer, with many varieties featuring bright yellow flowers, but also pink or orange. To extend the flowering period of your scene, opt for the Red Giant Allium, a spectacular ornamental garlic that in May-June offers highly graphic blooms in large reddish-purple balls, followed by decorative seed capsules. And to perfect the edge of your bed, nothing beats a carpet of carnations like the Maiden Pink, which will quickly cover the ground and offer vivid pink blooms from June to September.