Gardeners have long recognized the value of companion planting, a traditional gardening method that arranges different plants in close proximity for their mutual benefit. Among the stars of the companion planting world is yarrow (Achillea millefolium), a remarkable perennial herb known for its feathery foliage, flat-topped clusters of tiny blooms, and powerful ability to draw pollinators. But yarrow’s value goes far beyond its good looks. When planted thoughtfully, yarrow can enrich an entire garden ecosystem, benefiting a wide range of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
Whether you grow vegetables in raised beds, herbs in a cottage garden, or flowers in a cutting bed, yarrow deserves a spot. This article will explore yarrow’s unique benefits in companion planting, break down which plants pair well with it, explain how to position it for best results, and provide practical gardening strategies so you can harness yarrow’s advantages. You will also learn about the science behind yarrow’s beneficial properties and why it has stood the test of time in herbal and agricultural traditions.
Read on for a thorough, evidence-based guide to using yarrow as a superstar companion plant.
What Makes Yarrow a Great Companion Plant?
Before diving into companion pairings, it helps to understand why yarrow is such a helpful plant. Here’s what makes it stand out:
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Pollinator Magnet: Yarrow’s tiny nectar-rich flowers attract bees, hoverflies, wasps, ladybugs, and other beneficial insects.
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Predatory Insect Habitat: Hoverflies and predatory wasps attracted by yarrow help control aphids, mites, and caterpillar pests.
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Soil Health Improver: Yarrow’s deep taproot draws up nutrients from deeper layers of the soil, making those nutrients available to nearby shallow-rooted plants as leaves decompose.
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Drought Tolerance: Yarrow thrives with minimal water, which makes it a perfect fit for water-wise gardens.
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Medicinal and Edible Uses: Many gardeners appreciate having yarrow nearby for its traditional use in teas, herbal remedies, and even as a culinary garnish.
With these benefits, yarrow acts like a self-sufficient support system, bringing pollinators, improving soil fertility, and encouraging a thriving garden ecology.
Yarrow as a Beneficial Insect Attractor
One of yarrow’s biggest strengths in companion planting is its ability to draw in a diverse cast of helpful insects. Yarrow’s flowers, composed of many small florets, offer an accessible landing pad and rich nectar source for short-tongued insects. Ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps are especially drawn to yarrow. These insects are valuable natural predators, keeping aphid populations and other soft-bodied pests in check.
This means planting yarrow near crops susceptible to aphids—like brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli), lettuce, and peppers—can significantly reduce the need for chemical pest control. Hoverflies, for instance, lay eggs on plants infested with aphids, and their larvae feast on the aphids. The adult hoverflies find yarrow irresistible, so they are more likely to patrol your garden for pests if you provide this floral haven.
Nutrient Accumulator Properties
Another reason yarrow is a valued companion plant is its role as a dynamic accumulator. Yarrow has a deep root system that mines nutrients such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, and magnesium from subsoil layers. When you harvest yarrow leaves for compost or allow them to drop naturally, those nutrients return to the surface soil, benefiting neighboring plants. Think of yarrow as a natural soil-enhancement ally.
Gardeners sometimes even add chopped yarrow to compost piles to accelerate decomposition and enrich finished compost. In this way, yarrow supports the soil nutrient cycle beyond its living presence.
Best Companion Plants for Yarrow
Now, let’s dive into some of the best companions for yarrow. These pairings take advantage of yarrow’s ability to attract beneficial insects, support soil health, and tolerate tough growing conditions.
1. Brassicas
Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and other brassicas benefit immensely from yarrow’s pest-management power. Yarrow attracts ladybugs and parasitic wasps, both of which are natural enemies of aphids and cabbage moth larvae. Position yarrow in or around brassica beds to build a natural defense line against these common brassica pests.
2. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are susceptible to aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms. Yarrow attracts hoverflies, which help suppress whiteflies, while also luring in predatory wasps that target hornworm caterpillars. Moreover, yarrow’s relatively low profile means it will not shade tomato plants.
3. Herbs
Many culinary herbs thrive with yarrow nearby. Dill, parsley, thyme, sage, and oregano benefit from the improved pollinator presence that yarrow supports. These herbs, in turn, also attract predatory insects, making for a layered defense network against pests.
4. Peppers
Peppers sometimes suffer from aphid outbreaks, spider mites, and flea beetles. Yarrow’s insect allies can help keep these populations down. Position a yarrow plant at the corners of a raised pepper bed for best results.
5. Carrots
Carrot rust fly larvae and aphids can be a problem for carrots. Hoverflies love yarrow and lay eggs near aphid colonies, while the adult hoverflies feast on carrot flowers. Growing yarrow around carrot beds can help maintain a healthy balance of predator insects.
6. Fruit Trees
Planting yarrow around the drip line of fruit trees supports a whole orchard’s health. Yarrow will attract beneficial predatory insects that protect fruit trees from pests like codling moths, aphids, and scale insects. It also serves as a groundcover to reduce soil erosion.
7. Beans
Beans can face aphid problems and certain beetle attacks. Yarrow’s habitat-building function gives ladybugs a reason to stick around, helping beans grow more vigorously.
8. Squash and Cucumbers
Yarrow can be helpful near cucurbits to reduce aphid pressure and attract pollinators that visit squash blossoms, improving fruit set.
Companion Planting Yarrow With Flowers
Beyond vegetables and herbs, yarrow is a stellar companion for many ornamental flowers. Here are some notable combinations:
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Echinacea (coneflower): Both draw pollinators and tolerate drought.
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Lavender: Shares yarrow’s drought resistance and supports bees.
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Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan): Attracts butterflies, creating a pollinator haven.
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Coreopsis: Pairs well with yarrow visually and benefits from shared pollinators.
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Marigolds: Provide a strong pest-repelling aroma, while yarrow draws in predator insects for even more pest suppression.
In mixed flower beds, these pairings form a powerful natural ecosystem of support, color, and resilience.
How to Plant Yarrow for Maximum Benefit
If you want to get the most from companion planting with yarrow, location and care matter. Here are key guidelines:
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Sunlight: Yarrow needs full sun for best flowering and dense growth.
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Soil: Tolerates poor soils but thrives in moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid overly rich soil, which causes floppy growth.
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Spacing: Yarrow spreads, so give each plant about 12–18 inches of space. It can be divided every few years if it gets too large.
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Water: Once established, yarrow is drought-tolerant. Overwatering leads to root rot and weak growth.
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Pruning: Deadhead spent blooms to encourage repeat flowering and prevent excessive self-seeding.
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Propagation: Easily grown from seed, root divisions, or softwood cuttings.
For companion planting in raised beds, you can place yarrow in corners or along the perimeter, allowing its flowers to hover above lower-growing vegetables. If you use yarrow to draw in pollinators, interplant it in several strategic locations so the insects are evenly distributed.
The Science Behind Yarrow’s Companion Planting Power
Gardeners have long known that yarrow supports other plants, but modern science sheds light on why. Research shows that yarrow flowers produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that attract beneficial insects. These VOCs act like a perfume, signaling food and habitat for pollinators and predatory insects alike.
Yarrow’s deep taproots also pull up micronutrients such as copper and magnesium, which accumulate in its leaves. When yarrow dies back or is harvested, those nutrients are returned to the soil in a more available form, enriching nearby plants. That makes yarrow a classic dynamic accumulator—similar to comfrey but far more compact and ornamental.
Beyond nutrients, yarrow leaf mulch can also add organic matter to the soil, increasing water retention and boosting beneficial microbial populations. These microbes, in turn, support root health in nearby plants.
Using Yarrow in Permaculture Systems
Permaculture gardeners especially prize yarrow because it functions as a guild plant — meaning it supports an entire network of neighboring species. Yarrow works well in orchard guilds to attract beneficial insects and manage groundcover around fruit trees. You can also interplant it in perennial vegetable beds or in polycultures with asparagus, rhubarb, and herbs to stabilize the ecosystem.
Here are some permaculture roles for yarrow:
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Part of a fruit tree guild
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Pollinator strip in a market garden
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Companion to culinary herbs
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Understory planting in perennial beds
Its rugged nature and adaptability mean you can find a role for yarrow in nearly any permaculture design.
Potential Downsides of Yarrow in Companion Planting
While yarrow is overwhelmingly beneficial, there are a few cautions to keep in mind:
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Self-seeding: Yarrow can spread aggressively if left to go to seed. Deadheading after flowering prevents this.
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Competitive roots: Its deep roots might compete with shallow-rooted seedlings if crowded.
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Possible invasiveness: In some climates, yarrow can naturalize too easily, becoming difficult to control.
The best solution is to place yarrow strategically, prune it, and keep it deadheaded. That way, you get all the benefits without losing control of its spread.
Yarrow in Herbal Traditions
Part of yarrow’s enduring popularity comes from its herbal history. Beyond the garden, yarrow has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant:
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Wound healing: Traditionally used on cuts and scrapes.
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Digestive support: Brewed as a mild tea to relieve stomach discomfort.
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Fever reduction: Historically taken as a tea to support the immune system.
Modern gardeners often appreciate yarrow not only for its ecosystem benefits but for its place in the home herbal toolkit. However, consult a medical professional before internal use if you are unfamiliar with wild herbs.
How to Harvest and Use Yarrow
As you companion plant yarrow, you can also harvest it for household uses. Here’s how:
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Harvest flower clusters when about 80% open for best medicinal value.
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Dry in a warm, shaded place with good airflow to preserve color and potency.
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Store in airtight glass jars away from light.
Leaves can be used fresh in compost tea or chopped and sprinkled around garden beds as green manure. Flowers can be made into simple yarrow tea or used in fresh herbal bouquets for a country-garden aesthetic.
Creating a Raised Bed Companion Layout With Yarrow
Since many gardeners now grow in raised beds, here is a suggested layout that makes good use of yarrow:
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Corners: Place yarrow plants at all four corners of a raised bed. This attracts beneficial insects to patrol the whole bed.
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Between sections: If you divide your raised bed into rows, plant yarrow between rows to serve as an insect highway.
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Mixed herb bed: Yarrow combines beautifully with thyme, oregano, sage, and rosemary in a raised bed focused on perennial herbs.
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Pollinator bed: Mix yarrow with echinacea, lavender, and rudbeckia to create a pollinator paradise on one side of your garden.
In small raised beds, one yarrow plant may be enough. In larger systems, repeating yarrow plants throughout the design helps maintain beneficial insect coverage.
Final Thoughts on Companion Planting With Yarrow
Yarrow is a classic companion plant for very good reasons. Its powerful ability to attract beneficial insects, enrich the soil, tolerate drought, and beautify your space makes it one of the most valuable plants in a gardener’s toolkit. Whether you grow vegetables, herbs, or flowers, yarrow fits into almost any companion planting plan.
The key is to integrate yarrow intentionally. Plan its location, consider its spread, and manage its growth to enjoy years of support from this incredible plant. Companion planting charts are helpful, but your own observation is even better: watch which insects yarrow attracts, how it behaves with your specific crops, and where it performs best in your unique garden.
By combining the wisdom of companion planting with the resilience of yarrow, you build a more diverse, healthy, and organic gardening system. Fewer pests, healthier soil, stronger plants, and greater pollinator activity are the rewards. As you experiment and observe over seasons, you will discover new relationships and patterns, deepening your gardening knowledge and growing more confident every year.