Achillea millefolium Feuerland

Achillea millefolium 'Feuerland', also known as Yarrow, is a recently introduced German variety. Its name is 'Terre de Feu', and it lives up to its name by setting the garden on fire. It is a vigorous perennial with delicate flowering, in small clusters that evolve from blood red to orange and then apricot yellow. Its light, feathery foliage is a matte silver-green and is intensely fragrant, even when dried. It forms a tall, light and abundant clump, deciduous or semi-evergreen. From June to October, this perennial accompanies summer blooms with a flourish before igniting the blue stars of asters. Exuberant and undemanding, this garden favourite brings a nostalgic charm to unpretentious flower beds. Easy to cultivate in all regions.

Achillea millefolium Feuerland is an evergreen perennial with stoloniferous growth, forming upright clumps from spring onwards. It belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is one of many cultivars of Achillea millefolium, native to Europe and Asia Minor. It is believed to be a cross between A.millefolium and Achillea x Taygetea. The plant reaches a height of 100 cm (39in) when in bloom, with foliage measuring 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10in). It spreads over 50 cm (20in) or more.

The inflorescence is a flat-topped corymb. The flowering period, remarkably long, extends from June to October. The flowers are actually heads, with tubular and yellow florets in the central disc, while the peripheral florets are ligulate and start off blood red, turning more orange before ending up apricot yellow. These heads, which appear at the top of the stems, form flat or slightly rounded corymbs that are 7 cm (3in) in diameter. They give rise to fruits called achenes. The stem is channelled and villous. The foliage is deciduous or semi-evergreen, highly aromatic even when dry, and finely divided into strips. The leaves are pinnatilobate, feathery, and dark green with silver reflections.

Exuberant and undemanding, this garden favorite brings a nostalgic charm to unpretentious flower beds. Achillea millefolium 'Feuerland' integrates well in rockeries, atop walls, as a border, or on slopes where it contributes to fixing and protecting against erosion. This stoloniferous plant can be used as ground cover over large areas. It allows for the elimination of the necessary mowing for a lawn by replacing it in low-traffic areas. It withstands competition from tree roots, making it also a good ground cover choice in woodland edges. As it is easy to cultivate and tolerates drought well, it is perfect for dressing the base of shrub roses or bordering a sunny flower bed.

According to Pliny, a Roman naturalist from the first century AD, its name comes from Achilles, a hero from Greek mythology who used it to heal wounds. Achilles supposedly discovered the healing power of this plant during the Trojan War, when he treated a wound following the advice of Venus.

In fact, the plant has recognized medicinal properties: it is hemostatic, the leaves are healing, and the flowers have a stimulating, tonic and, in high concentrations, febrifuge action.